THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

IOAN  STACK 
GIFT  OF 

Emily  Turner 


The  Captain  January  Series 

By  LAURA  E.  RICHARDS 


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CAPTAIN 
JANUARY 

One  Hundred  and  Ninety-fifth  TJiousand 


By 
LAURA    E.    RICHARDS 

Author  of 

«  Snow-White,"  "  Melody,"  "  Three  Mar- 
garets," "  Queen  Hildegarde,"  etc. 


Boston 

Dana  Estes  &  Company 
Publishers 


Copyright,  1890  and  1892 
BY  ESTES  AND  LAURIAT 

Copyright,  1902 
BY  DANA  ESTES  &  COMPANY 

(All  rights  reserved) 


LOAN  STACK 
CAPTAIN  JANUARY 


COLONIAL    PRESS 

Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  C.  H.  Simonds  &>  Co. 
Boston,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


GIFT 


102 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  STAR  BRIGHT 1 

II.  THE  STORY  ...         .         .  .  .  .16 

III.  INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB  .  .30 

IV.  THE  VISIT    .         .         ...  .  .  .43 

V.  CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAR  .  .  .  .51 

VI.  THE  SIGNAL                          .        .  .  •  .68 


281 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY 


CHAPTER  I. 

STAB  BRIGHT 

THE  Captain  had  sold  all  his  lobsters.  They 
had  been  particularly  fine  ones,  and  had  gone 
off  "  like  hot  cakes,"  every  one  who  passed  by  the 
wharf  stopping  to  buy  one  or  two.  Now  the  red 
dory  was  empty,  and  the  Captain  had  washed  her 
out  with  his  usual  scrupulous  care,  and  was  making 
preparations  for  his  homeward  voyage,  when  he  was 
hailed  by  a  cheery  voice  from  the  street. 

"  Hillo,  January  ! "  said  the  voice.  "Is  that  you  ? 
How  goes  it  ?"  and  the  owner  of  the  voice,  a  sturdy 
man  in  a  blue  coat  with  brass  buttons,  came  down 
the  wharf  and  greeted  the  Captain  with  a  hearty 
shake  of  the  hand. 

"  How  goes  it  ?  "  he  repeated.  "  I  haven't  seen  ye 
for  a  dog's  age." 

"  I'm  hearty,  Cap'n  Nazro !  "  replied  Captain  Jan- 
1 


2  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

uary.  "  Hearty,  that's  what  I  am,  an'  hopin'  you're 
the  same." 

"That's  right!"  said  the  first  speaker.  « 'Tain't 
often  we  set  eyes  on  you,  you  stick  so  close  to  your 
light.  And  the  little  gal,  she's  well,  I  expect  ?  She 
looks  a  picture,  when  I  take  a  squint  at  her  through 
the  glass  sometimes.  Never  misses  running  out  and 
shaking  her  apron  when  we  go  by !  " 

"  Cap'n  Nazro,"  said  January,  speaking  with  em- 
phasis, "  if  there  is  a  pictur  in  this  world,  o'  health, 
and  pootiness,  and  goodness,  it's  that  child.  It's 
that  little  un,  sir.  Not  to  be  beat  in  this  country, 
nor  yet  any  other,  'cord in'  as  I've  voyaged." 

"  Nice  little  gal ! "  said  Captain  Nazro,  assenting. 
"  Mighty  nice  little  gal !  Ain't  it  time  she  was  going 
to  school,  January  ?  My  wife  and  I  were  speaking 
about  it  only  the  other  day.  Seems  as  if  she'd 
oughter  be  round  with  other  children  now,  and 
learning  what  they  do.  Mis  Nazro  would  be  real 
pleased  to  have  her  stop  with  us  a  spell,  and  go  to 
school  with  our  gals.  What  do  you  say  ? "  He 
spoke  very  heartily,  but  looked  doubtfully  at  the 
old  man,  as  if  hardly  expecting  a  favourable  answer. 

Captain  January  shook  his  head  emphatically. 
"  You're  real  kind,  Cap'n  Nazro  ! "  he  said  ;  "  real 
kind,  you  and  Mis  Nazro  both  are !  and  she  makin' 
the  little  un's  frocks  and  pinafores,  as  is  a  great  help. 
But  I  can't  feel  to  let  her  out  o'  my  sight,  nohow ; 
and  as  for  school,  she  ain't  the  kind  to  abear  it,  nor 


STAR  BRIGHT  3 

yet  I  couldn't  for  her.  She's  learnin' ! "  he  added, 
proudly.  "  Learnin'  well !  I'll  bet  there  ain't  no  gal 
in  your  school  knows  more  nor  that  little  un  does. 
Won'erful,  the  way  she  walks  ahead !  " 

"  Get  the  school  readers,  hey  !  and  teach  her  your- 
self, do  you  ?  "  queried  Captain  Nazro. 

"  No,  sir ! "  replied  the  old  man  ;  "  I  don't  have  no 
school  readers.  The  child  learns  out  o'  the  two  best 
books  in  the  world,  —  the  Bible,  and  William  Shake- 
speare's book ;  them's  all  the  books  she  ever  seed  — 
saw,  I  should  say." 

"  William  Shak— "  began  Captain  Nazro ;  and 
then  he  broke  off  in  sheer  amazement,  and  said, 
simply,  "  Well,  I'm  blowed !  " 

"  The  minister  giv  'em  to  me,"  said  Captain  Janu- 
ary. "  I  reckon  he  knows.  There's  a  dictionary, 
too,"  he  added,  rather  sadly  ;  "  but  I  can't  make  her 
take  to  that,  nohow,  though  there's  a  power  o'  fine 
words  in  it." 

Then,  as  the  other  man  remained  silent  and  open- 
mouthed,  he  said :  "  But  I  must  be  goin',  Cap'n 
Nazro,  sir !  The  little  un'll  be  lookin'  for  me. 
Good  day,  sir,  and  thank  ye  kindly,  all  the  same 
as  if  it  was  to  be,  which  it  ain't!"  And  with  a 
friendly  gesture,  the  old  man  stepped  into  his  red 
dory,  and  rowed  away  with  long,  sturdy  strokes. 

Captain  Nazro  gazed  after  him  meditatively,  took 
out  his  pipe  and  looked  at  it,  then  gazed  again. 
"January's  cracked,"  he  said;  "that's  what's  the 


4  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

matter  with  him.  He's  a  good  man,  and  a  good 
lighthouse-keeper,  and  he's  been  an  able  seaman  in 
his  day,  none  better ;  but  he's  cracked ! " 

There  is  an  island  off  a  certain  part  of  the  coast 
of  Maine,  —  a  little  rocky  island,  heaped  and  tumbled 
together  as  if  Dame  Nature  had  shaken  down  a  heap 
of  stones  at  random  from  her  apron,  when  she  had 
finished  making  the  larger  islands  which  lie  between 
it  and  the  mainland.  At  one  end,  the  shoreward 
end,  there  is  a  tiny  cove,  and  a  bit  of  silver-sand 
beach,  with  a  green  meadow  beyond  it,  and  a  single 
great  pine ;  but  all  the  rest  is  rocks,  rocks.  At  the 
farther  end  the  rocks  are  piled  high,  like  a  castle 
wall,  making  a  brave  barrier  against  the  Atlantic 
waves ;  and  on  top  of  this  cairn  rises  the  lighthouse, 
rugged  and  sturdy  as  the  rocks  themselves,  but 
painted  white,  and  with  its  windows  shining  like 
great,  smooth  diamonds.  This  is  Light  Island ;  and 
it  was  in  this  direction  that  Captain  January's  red 
dory  was  headed  when  he  took  his  leave  of  his 
brother-captain,  and  rowed  away  from  the  wharf. 
It  was  a  long  pull ;  in  fact,  it  took  pretty  nearly  the 
whole  afternoon,  so  that  the  evening  shadows  were 
lengthening  when  at  length  he  laid  down  his  oars, 
and  felt  the  boat's  nose  rub  against  the  sand  of  the 
little  home-cove.  But  rowing  was  no  more  effort 
than  breathing  to  Captain  January,  and  it  was  no 
fatigue,  but  only  a  trifle  of  stiffness  from  sitting  so 
long,  that  troubled  him  a  little  in  getting  out  of  the 


STAR  BRIGHT  O 

boat.  As  he  stepped  slowly  out  upon  the  firm-grained 
silver  of  the  little  beach,  he  looked  up  and  around 
with  an  expectant  air,  and  seeing  no  one,  a  look  of 
disappointment  crossed  his  face.  He  opened  his  lips 
as  if  to  call  some  one,  but  checking  himself,  "  Hap- 
pen she's  gettin'  supper ! "  he  said.  "  It's  later  than 
I  thought.  I  don't  pull  so  spry  as  I  used  ter,  'pears 
ter  me.  Wai,  thar!  'tain't  to  be  expected.  I  sh'll 
be  forty  years  old  before  I  know  it ! " 

Chuckling  to  himself,  the  Captain  drew  up  the 
little  boat  and  made  her  fast;  then,  taking  sundry 
brown-paper  parcels  from  under  the  thwart,  he 
turned  and  made  his  way  up  towards  the  light- 
house. A  picturesque  figure  he  was,  striding  along 
among  the  heaped  and  tumbled  rocks.  His  hair  and 
beard,  still  thick  and  curly,  were  absolutely  white,  as 
white  as  the  foam  that  broke  over  the  rocks  at  the 
cliff's  foot.  His  face  was  tanned  and  weather-beaten 
to  the  colour  of  mahogany,  but  the  features  were 
strong  and  sharply  cut,  while  the  piercing  blue  eyes 
which  gleamed  beneath  his  shaggy  eyebrows  showed 
all  the  fire  of  youth,  and  seemed  to  have  no  part  in 
the  seventy  years  which  had  bent  the  tall  form,  and 
rounded  slightly  the  broad  and  massive  shoulders. 
The  Captain  wore  a  rough  pea-jacket  and  long  boots, 
while  his  head  was  adorned  with  a  nondescript  cov- 
ering which  might  have  begun  life  either  as  a  hat  or 
a  cap,  but  would  now  hardly  be  owned  by  either 
family. 


6  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

Reaching  the  house,  the  old  man  mounted  the  rude 
steps  which  led  to  the  door,  and  entered  the  room 
which  was  kitchen,  dining,  and  drawing  room  at 
Storm  Castle,  as  the  lighthouse  was  called  by  its 
inhabitants.  The  room  was  light  and  cheerful,  with 
a  pleasant  little  fire  crackling  sociably  on  the  hearth. 
The  table  was  laid  with  a  clean  white  cloth,  the  kettle 
was  singing  on  the  hob,  and  a  little  covered  sauce- 
pan was  simmering  with  an  agreeable  and  suggestive 
sound;  but  no  one  was  to  be  seen.  Alarmed,  he 
hardly  knew  why,  at  the  silence  and  solitude,  Captain 
January  set  his  parcels  down  on  the  table,  and  going 
to  the  foot  of  the  narrow  stone  staircase  which  wound 
upward  beside  the  chimney,  called,  "  Star !  Star 
Bright,  where  are  you?  Is  anything  wrong?" 

"  No,  Daddy  Captain  !  "  answered  a  clear,  childish 
voice  from  above ;  "  I'm  coming  in  a  minute.  Be 
patient,  Daddy  dear !  " 

With  a  sigh  of  relief,  Captain  January  retired  to 
the  fireplace,  and  sitting  down  in  a  huge  high-backed 
armchair,  began  leisurely  pulling  off  his  great  boots. 
One  was  already  off  and  in  his  hand,  when  a  slight 
noise  made  him  look  up.  He  started  violently,  and 
then,  leaning  back  in  his  chair,  gazed  in  silent 
amazement  at  the  vision  before  him. 

On  the  stone  stairway,  and  slowly  descending,  with 
steps  that  were  meant  to  be  stately  (and  which  might 
have  been  so,  had  not  the  stairs  been  so  steep,  and 
the  little  legs  so  short)  was  the  figure  of  a  child :  a 


STAE  BRIGHT  7 

little  girl  about  ten  years  old,  with  a  face  of  almost 
startling  beauty.  Her  hair  floated  like  a  cloud  of  pale 
gold  about  her  shoulders ;  her  eyes  were  blue,  not 
light  and  keen,  like  the  old  man's,  but  of  that  soft, 
deep,  shadowy  blue  that  poets  love  to  call  violet. 
Wonderful  eyes,  shaded  by  long,  curved  lashes  of 
deepest  black,  which  fell  on  the  soft,  rose-and-ivory 
tinted  cheek,  as  the  child  carefully  picked  her  way 
down,  holding  up  her  long  dress  from  her  little  feet. 
It  was  the  dress  which  so  astonished  Captain  January. 
Instead  of  the  pink  calico  frock  and  blue  checked 
pinafore,  to  which  his  eyes  were  accustomed,  the  little 
figure  was  clad  in  a  robe  of  dark  green  velvet  with  a 
long  train,  which  spread  out  on  the  staircase  behind 
her,  very  much  like  the  train  of  a  peacock.  The 
body,  made  for  a  grown  woman,  hung  back  loosely 
from  her  shoulders,  but  she  had  tied  a  scarf  of  gold 
tissue  under  her  arms  and  round  her  waist,  while 
from  the  long  hanging  sleeves  her  arms  shone  round 
and  white  as  sculptured  ivory.  A  strange  sight,  this, 
for  a  lighthouse  tower  on  the  coast  of  Maine !  but 
so  fair  a  one,  that  the  old  mariner  could  not  take  his 
eyes  from  it. 

"  Might  be  Juliet ! "  he  muttered  to  himself. 
"  Juliet,  when  she  was  a  little  un.  *  Her  beauty 
hangs  upon  the  cheek  o'  Night,'  —  only  it  ain't,  so 
to  say,  exactly  night,  —  'like  a  rich  jewel  in  a 
nigger's  ear.'  No  !  that  ain't  right.  *  Nigger '  ain't 
right, « Ethiop's  ear,'  that's  it !  Though  I  should  judge 


8  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

they  were  much  the  same  thing,  and  they  more  fre- 
kently  wear  'em  in  their  noses,  them  as  I've  seen  in 
their  own  country." 

As  he  thus  soliloquised,  the  little  maiden  reached 
the  bottom  of  the  stairs  in  safety,  and  dropping  the 
folds  of  the  velvet  about  her,  made  a  quaint  little 
courtesy,  and  said,  "  Here  I  am,  Daddy  Captain !  how 
do  you  like  me,  please  ?  " 

"  Star  Bright,"  replied  Captain  January,  gazing 
fixedly  at  her,  as  he  slowly  drew  his  pipe  from 
his  pocket  and  lighted  it.  "  I  like  you  amazin'. 
.A-mazin'  I  like  you,  my  dear!  but  it  is  what  you 
might  call  surprising  to  leave  a  little  maid  in  a  blue 
pinafore,  and  to  come  back  and  find  a  princess  in 
gold  and  velvet.  Yes,  Pigeon  Pie,  you  might  call  it 
surprising  and  yet  not  be  stretchin'  a  p'int." 

"  Am  I  really  like  a  princess  ? "  said  the  child, 
clapping  her  hands,  and  laughing  with  pleasure. 
"  Have  you  ever  seen  a  princess,  Daddy  Captain, 
and  did  she  look  like  me  ? " 

"  I  seed  —  I  saw  —  one,  once,"  replied  the  Captain, 
gravely,  puffing  at  his  pipe.  "  In  Af ricky  it  was, 
when  I  was  fust  mate  to  an  Indiaman.  And  she 
wa'n't  like  you,  Peach  Blossom,  no  more  than  Hype- 
rion to  a  Satyr,  and  that  kind  o'  thing.  She  had  on 
a  short  petticut,  comin'  half-way  down  to  her  knees, 
and  a  necklace,  and  a  ring  through  her  nose. 
And  —  " 

"  Where  were  her -other  clothes  ? "  asked  the  child. 


STAR  BRIGHT  9 

"  Wai  —  maybe  she  kem  off  in  a  hurry  and  forgot 
'em  !  "  said  the  Captain,  charitably.  "  Anyhow,  not 
speakin'  her  language,  I  didn't  ask  her.  And  she 
was  as  black  as  the  ace  of  spades,  and  shinin'  all  over 
with  butter." 

"  Oh,  that  kind  of  princess ! "  said  Star,  loftily.  "  I 
didn't  mean  that  kind,  Daddy.  I  meant  the  kind 
who  live  in  fretted  palaces,  with  music  in  th'  enam- 
elled stones,  you  know,  and  wore  clothes  like  these 
every  day." 

"  Wai,  Honey,  I  never  saw  one  of  that  kind,  till 
now ! "  said  the  Captain,  meekly.  "  And  I'm  sorry  I 
hain't  —  I  mean  I  ain't  —  got  no  fretted  palace  for 
my  princess  to  live  in.  This  is  a  poor  place  for  golden 
lasses  and  velvet  trains." 

"  It  isn't !  "  cried  the  child,  her  face  flashing  into 
sudden  anger,  and  stamping  her  foot.  "  You  sha'n't 
call  it  a  poor  place,  Daddy  !  It's  wicked  of  you.  And 
I  wouldn't  live  in  a  palace  if  there  were  fifty  of  them 
all  set  in  a  row.  So  there  now !  "  She  folded  her 
arms  and  looked  defiantly  at  the  old  man,  who  re- 
turned her  gaze  placidly,  and  continued  to  puff  at  his 
pipe,  until  he  was  seized  in  a  penitent  embrace,  hugged, 
and  kissed,  and  scolded,  and  wept  over,  all  at  once. 

The  brief  tempest  over,  the  child  seated  herself 
comfortably  on  his  knee,  and  said,  "  Now,  Daddy,  I 
want  a  story." 

"  Story  before  supper  ?  "  asked  the  Captain,  meekly, 
looking  at  the  saucepan,  which  was  fairly  lifting  its 


10  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

lid  in  its  eagerness  to  be  attended  to.  A  fresh  access 
of  remorseful  hugging  followed. 

"  You  poor  darling ! "  said  Star ;  "  I  forgot  all 
about  supper.  And  it's  stewed  kidneys,  too !  But 
oh  !  my  dress !  "  and  she  glanced  down  at  her  velvet 
splendour.  "  I  must  go  and  take  it  off,"  she  said, 
sadly. 

"Not  you,  Honeysuckle,"  said  the  old  man,  rising 
and  setting  the  child  down  carefully  in  the  chair. 
"  Sit  you  there,  and  be  a  real  princess,  and  I  will  be 
your  steward,  and  get  supper  this  time.  I  like  to  see 
you  in  your  fine  clothes,  and  'twould  be  a  shame  to 
take  'em  off  so  soon." 

She  clapped  her  hands  again,  and  settling  herself 
cosily  in  the  great  chair,  arranged  her  train  with  a 
graceful  sweep,  and  pushed  back  her  cloudy  golden 
hair. 

"  Shall  I  really  act  princess  ? "  she  asked,  —  and 
without  waiting  for  an  answer,  she  began  to  give 
orders  in  lofty  tones,  holding  her  head  high  in  the 
air,  and  pointing  hither  and  thither  with  her  tiny 
hands.  "  Take  up  the  golden  chafing-dish,  Grumio  !  " 
she  cried.  "  The  kidneys  —  I  mean  the  capons  — 
are  quite  ready  now.  And  the  milk  —  no !  the  sack 
—  is  in  the  silver  flagon ! "  she  pointed  to  an  ancient 
blue  jug  which  stood  on  the  dresser. 

The  obedient  Captain  hastened  to  take  up  the 
saucepan,  and  soon  the  frugal  supper  was  set  out,  and 
princess  and  steward  were  doing  ample  justice  to  it. 


STAR  BRIGHT  11 

"  You  didn't  say  <  Anon  !  anon  !  Madam '  when  I 
ordered  you  about,"  said  the  Princess,  thoughtfully. 
"  You  ought  to,  you  know.  Servants  always  do  in 
the  book." 

"  Wai,  I  didn't  think  on't,"  the  steward  admitted. 
"  I  wa'n't  brought  up  to  the  business,  you  see,  Prin- 
cess. It  always  seemed  to  me  a  foolish  thing  to  say, 
anyhow:  no  disrespect  to  W.  Shakespeare.  The  hull 
of  the  word's  * anonymous,'  I  believe,  and  the  diction- 
ary says  that  means  *  wanting  a  name.'  So,  alto- 
gether, Star  Bright,  I  haven't  been  able  to  make 
much  sense  out  o'  that  answer." 

"  Oh,  never  mind  !  "  said  the  Princess,  tossing  her 
head.  "  1  don't  like  the  dictionary.  It's  a  wretch  !  " 

"  So  'tis,  so  'tis,"  assented  the  Captain,  with  servile 
alacrity.  "  Have  some  more  milk  then,  Sunshine." 

"  It  isn't  milk  !  it's  sack,"  said  the  child,  promptly, 
holding  out  her  small  yellow  mug  with  a  royal  air. 
"  Are  the  capons  good,  Grumio  ?" 

"  They  are,  my  lamb,  they  are,"  replied  the  Cap- 
tain. "  Oncommon  good  they  are,  to  be  sure,  and 
me  not  knowin'  to  this  day  what  capons  was.  A 
little  more  ?  Yes,  Pigeon  Pie,  I  will  take  a  little 
more,  thank  ye  kindly." 

"  I  don't  think,  Grumio,  that  you  ought  to  call  me 
lambs  and  pigeon  pies  just  now,"  remarked  the  Prin- 
cess, judiciously.  "  Do  you  think  it's  respectful  ? 
they  don't  in  Shakespeare,  I'm  sure." 

"  I  won't  do  it  again,  Honey  —  I  mean  Madam," 


12  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

said  the  Captain,  bowing  with  great  humility.  "I 
beg  your  honourable  majesty's  pardon,  and  I  won't 
never  presume  to  —  " 

"  Yes,  you  will ! "  cried  the  Princess,  flinging  her- 
self across  the  table  at  him,  and  nearly  choking  him 
with  the  sudden  violence  of  her  embrace.  "  You 
shall  call  me  pigeon  pie,  and  anything  else  you  like. 
You  shall  call  me  rye  porridge,  though  I  hate  it,  and 
it's  always  full  of  lumps.  And  don't  ever  look  that 
way  again  ;  it  kills  me  !  " 

The  Captain  quietly  removed  the  clinging  arms, 
and  kissed  them,  and  set  the  half-weeping  child  back 
in  her  place.  "  There,  there,  there  !  "  he  said,  sooth- 
ingly. "  What  a  little  tempest  it  is  !  " 

"  Say  <  delicate  Ariel,'  "  sobbed  Star.  "  You  haven't 
said  it  to-day,  and  you  always  say  it  when  you  love 
me." 

"  Cream  Cheese  from  the  dairy  of  Heaven,"  re- 
plied the  Captain ;  "  if  I  always  said  it  when  I  loved 
you,  I  should  be  sayin'  it  every  minute  of  time,  as 
well  you  know.  But  you  are  my  delicate  Ariel,  so 
you  are,  and  there  ain't  nothin'  in  the  hull  book  as 
suits  you  better.  So ! "  and  his  supper  ended,  the 
good  man  turned  his  chair  again  to  the  fire,  and  took 
the  child,  once  more  smiling,  upon  his  knee. 

"  And  now,  Ariel,  what  have  you  been  doin'  all  the 
time  I  was  away  ?  Tell  Daddy  all  about  it." 

Star  pondered  a  moment,  with  her  head  on  one 
side,  and  a  finger  hooked  confidentially  through  the 


STAB  BRIGHT  13 

Captain's  buttonhole.  «  Well,"  she  said,  "  I've  had 
a  very  interesting  time,  Daddy  Captain.  First  I 
cleaned  the  lamps,  of  course,  and  filled  and  trimmed 
them.  And  then  I  played  Samson  a  good  while; 
and  —  " 

"  And  how  might  you  play  Samson  ? "  inquired  the 
Captain. 

"With  flies!"  replied  Star,  promptly.  "Heaps 
upon  heaps,  you  know ;  '  With  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass 
have  I  slain  a  thousand  men.'  The  flies  were  the 
Philistines,  and  I  took  a  clam-shell  for  the  jaw-bone ; 
it  did  just  as  well.  And  I  made  a  song  out  of  it,  to 
one  of  the  tunes  you  whistle :  '  With  the  jaw-bone ! 
with  the  jaw-bone !  with  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass ! ' 
It  was  very  exciting." 

«  Must  ha'  been,"  said  the  Captain,  dryly.  «  Well, 
Honeysuckle,  what  did  you  do  then  ? " 

"  Oh,  that  took  some  time !  "  said  the  child.  «  And 
afterward  I  fished  a  little,  but  I  didn't  catch  any- 
thing, 'cept  an  old  flounder,  and  he  winked  at  me  so, 
I  put  him  back.  And  then  I  thought  a  long  time  — 
oh !  a  very  long  time,  sitting  like  Patience  on  the 
doorstep.  And  suddenly,  Daddy  Captain,  I  thought 
about  those  boxes  of  clothes,  and  how  you  said  they 
would  be  mine  when  I  was  big.  And  I  measured 
myself  against  the  doorpost,  and  found  that  I  was 
very  big.  I  thought  I  must  be  almost  as  big  as  you, 
but  I  s'pose  I'd  forgotten  how  big  you  were.  So 
I  went  up,  and  opened  one  box,  and  I  was  just  putting 


14  CAPTAIN 

the  dress  on  when  you  came  in.  You  knew  where 
it  came  from,  of  course,  Daddy,  the  moment  you 
saw  it." 

The  Captain  nodded  gravely,  and  pulled  his  long 
moustaches. 

"  Do  you  suppose  my  poor  mamma  wore  it  often  ?  " 
the  child  went  on,  eagerly.  "  Do  you  think  she  looked 
like  me  when  she  wore  it  ?  Do  I  look  as  she  did 
when  you  saw  her  ?  " 

"  Wai,"  began  the  Captain,  meditatively ;  but  Star 
ran  on  without  waiting  for  an  answer. 

"  Of  course,  though,  she  looked  very  different,  be- 
cause  she  was  dead.  You  are  quite  very  positively 
sure  my  poor  mamma  was  dead,  Daddy  Captain  ?" 

"  She  were,"  replied  the  Captain,  with  emphasis, 
"  She  were  that,  Pigeon  Pie !  You  couldn't  find  no- 
body deader,  not  if  you'd  sarched  for  a  week.  Why, 
door  nails,  and  Julius  Caesar,  and  things  o'  that 
description,  would  ha'  been  lively  compared  with  your 
poor  ma  when  I  see  her.  Lively !  that's  what  they'd 
ha'  been." 

The  child  nodded  with  an  air  of  familiar  interest, 
wholly  untinged  with  sadness.  "  I  think,"  she  said, 
laying  her  head  against  the  old  man's  shoulder,  and 
curling  one  arm  about  his  neck,  "  I  think  I  should 
like  to  hear  about  it  again,  please,  Daddy.  It's  a 
long,  long  time  since  you  told  me  the  whole  of  it." 

"  Much  as  a  month,  I  should  think  it  must  be," 
assented  the  Captain.  "  Why,  Snowdrop,  you  know 


STAE  BRIGHT  15 

the  story  by  heart,  better'n  I  do,  I  believe.  'Pears  to 
me  I've  told  it  regular,  once  a  month  or  so,  ever 
since  you  were  old  enough  to  understand  it." 

"  Never  mind !  "  said  the  Princess,  with  an  imperi- 
ous gesture.  "That  makes  no  difference.  I  want 
it  now ! " 

"  Wai,  wal ! "  said  the  Captain,  smoothing  back  the 
golden  hair.  "  If  you  want  it,  why  of  course  you 
must  have  it,  Blossom  !  But  first  1  must  light  up, 
ye  know.  One  star  inside  the  old  house,  and  the 
other  atop  of  it :  that's  what  makes  Light  Island  the 
lightest  spot  in  the  natural  world.  Sit  ye  here,  Star 
Bright,  and  play  Princess  till  Daddy  comes  back ! " 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   STORY 

THE  lamps  were  lighted,  and  the  long,  level  rays 
flashed  their  golden  warning  over  the  murmur- 
ing darkness  of  the  summer  sea,  giving  cheer  to 
many  hearts  on  inbound  barque  or  schooner.  Bright 
indeed  was  the  star  on  the  top  of  the  old  lighthouse ; 
but  no  less  radiant  was  the  face  of  little  Star,  as  she 
turned  it  eagerly  towards  Captain  January,  and  waited 
for  the  beginning  of  the  well-known  and  well-loved 
story. 

"  Wai,"  said  the  Captain,  when  his  pipe  was  refilled 
and  drawing  bravely.  "  Let  me  see  now  !  where  shall 
I  begin  ?  " 

"  At  the  beginning !  "  said  Star,  promptly. 

"  Jes'  so  ! "  assented  the  old  man.  "  Ten  year  ago 
this—" 

"  No  !  No  ! ! "  cried  the  child.  "  That  isn't  the  be- 
ginning, Daddy  !  That's  almost  half-way  to  the  middle. 
'  When  I  was  a  young  lad.'  That's  the  beginning." 

"  Bound  to  have  it  all,  are  ye,  Honeysuckle  ?"  said 
the  obedient  Captain.  "  Wai !  wal !  when  I  were  a 

16 


THE  STORY  17 

young  lad,  I  was  a  wild  un,  ye  see,  Treasure.  My 
father,  he  'prenticed  me  to  a  blacksmith,  being  big 
and  strong  for  my  years ;  but  I  hadn't  no  heart  for 
thr  work.  All  I  cared  about  was  the  sea,  and  boats, 
and  sailors,  and  sea  talk.  I  ran  away  down  to  the 
wharf  whenever  I  could  get  a  chance,  and  left  my 
work.  Why,  even  when  I  went  to  meetin',  'stead  o' 
listenin'  to  the  minister,  I  was  lookin'  out  the  places 
about  them  as  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  ye  know, 
and  « that  leviathan  whom  Thou  hast  made,'  and  all 
that.  And  there  was  Hiram,  King  of  Tyre,  and  his 
ships  !  Lord  I  how  I  used  to  think  about  them  ships, 
and  wonder  how  they  was  rigged,  and  how  many  tons 
they  were,  and  all  about  it.  Yes !  I  was  a  wild  un, 
and  no  mistake ;  and ,  after  awhile  I  got  so  roused 
up  —  after  my  mother  died,  it  was,  and  my  father 
married  again  —  that  I  just  run  away,  and  shipped 
aboard  of  a  whaler,  bound  for  the  north  seas.  Wai, 
Honey,  'twould  take  me  a  week  to  tell  ye  about  all 
my  voyages.  Long  and  short  of  it,  'twas  the  life  I 
was  meant  for,  and  I  done  well  in  it.  Had  tumbles 
and  toss-ups,  here  and  there,  same  as  everybody  has 
in  any  kind  o'  life ;  but  I  done  well,  and  by  the  time 
I  was  forty  year  old  I  was  captain  of  the  Bonito,  East 
Indiaman,  sailin'  from  New  York  to  Calcutta." 

The  Captain  paused,  and  puffed  gravely  at  his  pipe 
for  a  few  minutes. 

"Well,  Rosebud,"  he  continued,  presently,  "you 
know  what  comes  next.  The  Bonito  was  cast  away, 


18  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

in  a  cyclone,  on  a  desert  island,  and  all  hands  lost, 
except  me  and  one  other." 

"  Dear  Daddy  !  poor  Daddy  !  "  cried  the  child, 
putting  her  little  hands  up  to  the  weather-beaten 
face,  and  drawing  it  down  to  hers.  "  Don't  talk 
about  that  dreadful  part.  Go  on  to  the  next ! " 

"  No,  I  won't  talk  about  it,  Star  Bright !  "  said  the 
old  man,  very  gravely.  "Fust  place  I  can't,  and 
second  place  it  ain't  fit  for  little  maids  to  hear  of. 
But  I  lived  on  that  island  fifteen  year,  —  five  year 
with  my  good  mate  Job  Hotham,  and  ten  year  alone, 
after  Job  died.  When  a  ship  kem  by,  after  that,  and 
took  me  off,  I'd  forgot  most  everything,  and  was 
partly  like  the  beasts  that  perish ;  but  it  kem  back  to 
me.  Slow,  like,  and  by  fits,  as  you  may  say ;  but  it 
kem  back,  all  there  was  before,  and  maybe  a  good  bit 
more ! " 

"  Poor  Daddy ! "  murmured  the  child  again,  press- 
ing her  soft  cheek  against  the  white  beard.  "  It's  all 
over  now!  Don't  think  of  it!  I  am  here,  Daddy, 
loving  you :  loving  you  all  to  pieces,  you  know  !  " 

The  old  man  was  silent  for  a  few  minutes,  caress- 
ing the  little  white  hands  which  lay  like  twin  snow- 
flakes  in  his  broad,  brown  palm.  Then  he  resumed, 
cheerfully : 

"  And  so,  Cream  Cheese  from  the  dairy  of  Heaven, 
I  kem  home.  Your  old  Daddy  kem  home,  and  landed 
on  the  same  wharf  he'd  sailed  from  twenty-five  years 
before.  Not  direct,  you  understand,  but  takin'  steamer 


THE  STORY  19 

from  New  York,  and  so  on.  Wai,  there  wa'n't  nobody 
that  knew  ine,  or  cared  for  me.  Father  was  dead, 
and  his  wife ;  and  their  children,  as  weren't  born 
when  I  sailed  from  home,  were  growed  up  and  gone 
away.  No,  there  wa'n't  nobody.  Wai,  I  tried  for  a 
spell  to  settle  down  and  live  like  other  folks,  but 
'twa'n't  no  use.  I  was'nt  used  to  the  life,  and  I 
couldn't  stand  it.  For  ten  years  I  hadn't  heard  the 
sound  of  a  human  voice,  and  now  they  was  buzz, 
buzzin'  all  the  time ;  it  seemed  as  if  there  was  a 
swarm  of  wasps  round  my  ears  the  everlastin'  day. 
Buzz !  buzz !  and  then  clack !  clack !  like  an  ever- 
lasting mill-clapper ;  and  folks  starin'  at  my  brown 
face  and  white  hair,  and  askin'  me  foolish  questions. 
I  couldn't  stand  it,  that  was  all.  I  heard  that  a 
light-keeper  was  wanted  here,  and  I  asked  for  the 
place,  and  got  it.  And  that's  all  of  the  fust  part, 
Peach  Blossom." 

The  child  drew  a  long  breath,  and  her  face  glowed 
with  eager  anticipation.  "  And  now,  Daddy  Captain," 
she  said,  "  now  you  may  say,  '  Ten  year  ago  this 
fall ! ' " 

"  Ten  year  ago  this  fall,"  said  the  Captain,  meekly 
acquiescing,  "  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  September,  as 
ever  was,  I  looks  out  from  the  tower,  bein'  a-fillin'  of 
the  lamps,  and  says  I, '  There's  a  storm  comin' ! '  So  I 
made  all  taut  above  and  below,  and  fastened  the  door, 
and  took  my  glass  and  went  out  on  the  rocks,  to  see 
how  things  looked.  Wai,  they  looked  pooty  bad. 


20  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

There  had  been  a  heavy  sea  on  for  a  couple  o'  days, 
and  the  clouds  that  was  comin'  up  didn't  look  as  if 
they  was  goin'  to  smooth  it  down  any.  There  was  a 
kind  o'  brassy  look  over  everything  and  when  the 
wind  began  to  rise,  it  warn't  with  no  nat'ral  sound, 
but  a  kind  of  screech  to  it,  on'arthly  like.  Wai, 
thar !  the  wind  did  rise,  and  it  riz  to  stay.  In  half 
an  hour  it  was  blowin'  half  a  gale ;  in  an  hour  it  blew 
a  gale,  and  as  tough  a  one  (barrin'  cyclones)  as  ever  I 
see.  'T  had  like  to  ha'  blow  me  off  my  pins,  half  a 
dozen  times.  Then  nat'rally  the  sea  kem  up;  and 
'twas  all  creation  on  them  rocks,  now  I  tell  ye.  '  The 
sea,  mountin'  to  the  welkin's  cheek ; '  ye  remember, 
Pigeon  Pie?" 

The  child  nodded  eagerly.  "  Tempest ! "  she  said, 
"  Act  I.,  Scene  2 :  '  Enter  Prospero  and  Miranda.' 
Go  on,  Daddy ! " 

"Wai,  my  Lily  Flower,"  continued  the  old  man. 
"And  the  storm  went  on.  It  roared,  it  bellowed, 
and  it  screeched :  it  thumped  and  it  kerwhalloped. 
The  great  seas  would  come  bunt  up  agin  the  rocks,  as 
if  they  was  bound  to  go  right  through  to  Jersey  City, 
which  they  used  to  say  was  the  end  of  the  world. 
Then  they'd  go  scoopin'  back,  as  if  they  was  callin'  all 
their  friends  and  neighbours  to  help ;  and  then,  bang ! 
they'd  come  at  it  agin.  The  spray  was  flyin'  in 
great  white  sheets,  and  whiles,  it  seemed  as  if  the 
hull  island  was  goin'  to  be  swallowed  up  then  and 
thar.  'Tain't  no  thin'  but  a  little  heap  o'  rocks,  any- 


THE  STORY  21 

how,  to  face  the  hull  Atlantic  Ocean  gone  mad :  and 
on  that  heap  o'  rocks  was  Januarius  Judkins,  holdin' 
on  for  dear  life,  and  feelin'  like  a  hoppergrass  that 
had  got  lost  in  Niag'ry  Falls." 

"  Don't  say  that  name,  Daddy !  "  interrupted  the 
child.  "  You  know  I  don't  like  it.  Say  '  Captain 
January ' ! " 

"  I  tell  ye,  Honeysuckle,"  said  the  old  man,  "  I 
felt  more  like  a  sea-cook  than  a  cap'n  that  night.  A 
cap'n  on  a  quarter-deck's  a  good  thing ;  but  a  cap'n 
on  a  p'int  o'  rock,  out  to  sea  in  a  northeast  gale, 
might  just  as  well  be  a  fo'c'sle  hand  and  done  with  it. 
Wai,  as  I  was  holdin'  on  thar,  I  seed  a  flash  to  wind- 
ward, as  wasn't  lightning ;  and  next  minute  kem  a 
sound  as  wasn't  thunder  nor  yet  wind  nor  sea." 

"  The  guns  !  the  guns ! "  cried  the  child,  in  great 
excitement.  "  The  guns  of  my  poor  mamma's  ship. 
And  then  you  heard  them  again,  Daddy  ?" 

"  Then  I  heard  them  agin ! "  the  old  man  assented. 
"  And  agin !  a  flash,  and  a  boom !  and  then  in  a 
minute  agin,  a  flash  and  a  boom  !  <  Oh,  Lord  ! '  says 
I.  '  Take  her  by  to  the  mainland,  and  put  her  ashore 
there  ! '  I  says ;  'cause  there's  a  life-saving  station  thar, 
ye  know,  Blossom,  and  there  might  be  some  chance 
for  them  as  were  in  her.  But  the  Lord  had  His 
views,  my  dear,  the  Lord  had  His  views !  Amen  !  so 
be  it !  In  another  minute  there  kem  a  break  in  the 
clouds,  and  thar  she  was,  comin'  full  head  on,  straight 
for  Light  Island.  Oh!  my  little  Star,  that  was  an 


22  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

awful  thing  to  see.  And  I  couldn't  do  nothin',  you 
understand.  Not  a  livin'  airthly  thing  could  I  do, 
'cept  hide  my  face  agin  the  rock  I  was  clingin'  to,  and 
say, '  Dear  Lord,  take  'em  easy !  It's  Thy  will  as  they 
should  be  took,'  I  says,  *  and  there  ain't  no  one  to 
hender,  if  so  be  as  they  could.  But  take  'em  easy, 
good  Lord,  and  take  'em  suddin  ! ' ' 

"  And  He  did  ! "  cried  the  child.  "  The  good  Lord 
did  take  'em  sudden,  didn't  He,  Daddy  Captain  ?" 

"  He  did,  my  child  ! "  said  the  old  man,  solemnly. 
"They  was  all  home,  them  that  was  goin',  in  ten 
minutes  from  the  time  I  saw  the  ship.  You  know  the 
Roarin'  Bull,  as  sticks  his  horns  out  o'  water  just  to 
windward  of  us  ?  the  cruelest  rock  on  the  coast,  he  is, 
and  the  treacherousest :  and  the  ship  struck  him  full 
and  fair  on  the  starboard  quarter,  and  in  ten  minutes 
she  was  kindlin'  wood,  as  ye  may  say.  The  Lord 
rest  their  souls  as  went  down  in  her !  Amen  !  " 

"  Amen ! "  said  little  Star,  softly.  But  she  added 
in  an  eager  tone,  "  And  now,  Daddy,  you  are  coming 
tome!" 

"Pooty  soon,  Jewel  Bright!"  said  the  old  man, 
stroking  the  gold  hair  tenderly.  "I'm  a-comin'  to 
you  pooty  soon.  'Twas  along  about  eight  bells  when 
she  struck,  and  none  so  dark,  for  the  moon  had  risen. 
After  the  ship  had  gone  down,  I  strained  my  eyes 
through  the  driving  spray,  to  see  whether  anything 
was  comin'  ashore.  Presently  I  seed  somethin'  black, 
driftin'  towards  the  rocks:  and  lo'  ye,  'twas  a  boat, 


THE  STORY  23 

bottom  side  up,  and  all  hands  gone  down.  Wai !  wal ! 
the  Lord  knew  what  was  right :  but  it's  wuss  by  a 
deal  to  see  them  things  than  to  be  in  'em  yourself,  to 
my  thinkin'.  Wal,  after  a  spell  I  looked  agin,  and 
there  was  somethin'  else  a-driftin'  looked  like  a  spar, 
it  did :  and  somethin'  was  lashed  to  it  My  heart ! 
'twas  tossed  about  like  a  egg-shell,  up  and  down,  and 
here  and  thar !  'Twas  white,  whatever  was  lashed  to 
it,  and  I  couldn't  take  my  eyes  off n  it.  '  It  can't  be 
alive ! '  I  says,  '  whatever  it  is ! '  I  says.  *  But  I'll 
get  it,  if  it  takes  a  leg ! '  I  says.  For  down  in  my 
heart,  Jewel,  I  knew  they  wouldn't  ha'  taken  such 
care  of  anythin'  but  what  was  alive,  and  they  per- 
ishin',  but  I  didn't  think  it  could  live  in  such  a  sea 
long  enough  to  get  ashore.  Wal,  I  kep'  my  eyes  on  that 
spar,  and  I  see  that  'twas  comin'  along  by  the  south 
side.  Then  I  ran,  or  crawled,  'cordin'  as  the  wind 
allowed  me,  back  to  the  shed,  and  got  a  boat-hook 
and  a  coil  o'  rope ;  and  then  I  dumb  down  as  far  as 
I  dared,  on  the  south  rocks.  I  scooched  down  under 
the  lee  of  a  p'int  oj  rock,  and  made  the  rope  fast 
round  my  waist,  and  the  other  end  round  the  rock, 
and  then  I  waited  for  the  spar  to  come  along.  Twas 
hard  to  make  out  anythin',  for  the  water  was  all  a 
white,  bilin'  churn,  and  the  spray  flyin'  fit  to  blind 
you ;  but  bimeby  I  co't  sight  of  her  comin'  swashin' 
along,  now  up  on  top  of  a  big  roarer,  and  then  scootin* 
down  into  the  holler,  and  then  up  agin.  I  crep'  out 
on  the  rocks,  grippin'  'em  for  all  I  was  wuth,  with 


24  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

the  boat-hook  under  my  arm.  The  wind  screeched 
and  clawed  at  me  like  a  wildcat  in  a  caniption  fit,  but 
I  hadn't  been  through  those  cyclones  for  nothin.'  I 
lay  down  flat  and  wriggled  myself  out  to  the  edge, 
and  thar  I  waited." 

"  And  the  waves  were  breaking  over  you  all  the 
time  ?  "  cried  the  child,  with  eager  inquiry. 

"  Wai,  they  was  that,  Honeysuckle !  "  said  the  Cap- 
tain. "  Bless  ye,  I  sh'd  ha'  been  washed  off  like  a 
log  if  't  hadn't  ben  for  the  rope.  But  that  held; 
'twas  a  good  one,  and  tied  with  a  bowline,  and  it  held. 
Wai,  I  lay  thar,  and  all  to  wunst  I  see  her  comin'  by 
like  a  flash,  close  to  me.  *  Now  ! '  says  I,  <  ef  ther's 
any  stuff  in  you,  J.  Judkins,  let's  see  it ! '  says  I. 
And  I  chucks  myself  over  the  side  o'  the  rock  and 
grabs  her  with  the  boat-hook,  and  hauls  her  in.  *  All 
together,'  I  says.  *  Now,  my  hearties!  Yo  heave 
ho  ! '  and  I  hed  her  up,  and  hauled  her  over  the  rocks 
and  round  under  the  lee  of  the  p'int,  before  I  stopped 
to  breathe.  How  did  I  do  it  ?  Don't  ask  me,  Jewel 
Bright !  I  don't  know  how  I  did  it.  There's  times 
when  a  man  has  strength  given  to  him,  seemin'ly, 
over  and  above  human  strength.  'Twas  like  as  if  the 
Lord  ketched  holt  and  helped  me  :  maybe  He  did, 
seein*  what  'twas  I  was  doing.  Maybe  He  did  ! "  He 
paused  a  moment  in  thought,  but  Star  was  impatient. 

"  Well,  Daddy  !  "  she  cried.  «  And  then  you  looked 
and  found  it  was  —  go  on,  Daddy  dear ! " 

"  I  looked,"  continued  the  old  man,  "  and  I  found 


THE  8TORT  25 

it  was  a  sail,  that  had  showed  so  white  against  the 
spar ;  a  sail,  wrapped  tight  round  somethin'.  I  cut 
the  ropes,  and  pulled  away  the  canvas  and  a  tarpaulin 
that  was  inside  that ;  and  thar  I  seed  —  " 

u  My  poor  mamma  and  me  !  "  cried  the  child,  joy- 
ously, clapping  her  hands.  "  Oh,  Daddy  Captain,  it  is 
so  delightful  when  you  come  to  this  part !  And  my 
poor  mamma  was  dead  ?  You  are  quite  positively 
sure  that  she  was  dead,  Daddy  ?  " 

"  She  were,  my  lamb !  "  replied  the  Captain,  gravely. 
"  You  needn't  never  have  no  doubt  about  it.  She  had 
had  a  blow  on  the  head,  your  poor  ma  had,  from  one 
o'  the  bull's  horns,  likely ;  and  I'll  warrant  she  never 
knowed  anythin'  after  it,  poor  lady !  She  was  wrapped 
in  a  great  fur  cloak,  the  same  as  you  have  on  your 
bed  in  winter,  Blossom :  and  lyin'  all  clost  and  warm 
in  her  cold  arms,  that  held  on  still,  though  the  life 
was  gone  out  of  'em,  was" — the  old  man  faltered, 
and  brushed  his  rough  hand  across  his  eyes  —  "  was  a 
—  a  little  baby.  Asleep,  it  seemed  to  be,  all  curled 
up  like  a  rose  on  its  mother's  breast,  and  its  pooty 
eyes  tight  shut.  I  loosed  the  poor  arms  —  they  was 
like  a  stattoo's,  so  round  and  white  and  cold ;  and  I 
took  the  child  up  in  my  arms ;  and  lo'  ye !  it  opened 
its  eyes  and  looked  straight  at  me  and  laughed." 

"And  it  said,  Daddy?"  cried  the  delighted  child, 
clapping  her  hands.  "  Tell  what  it  said  ! " 

"  It  said  *  'Tar,' "  the  old  man  continued,  in  a 
hushed  voice.  " '  Tar,'  it  said  as  plain  as  I  say  it 


26  CAPTAIN  JANUABY 

to  you.  <  And  "  Star "  it  is ! '  says  I ;  for  <  if  ever 
a  star  shone  on  a  dark  night,  it's  you,  my  pooty,' 
I  says.  <  Praise  the  Lord,'  I  says.  '  Amen,  so  be  it.' 
Then  I  laid  your  poor  ma  in  a  corner,  under  the  lee 
of  the  big  rock,  where  the  spray  wouldn't  fly  over 
her,  and  I  covered  her  with  the  sail ;  and  then  I  took 
the  fur  cloak,  seein'  the  baby  needed  it  and  she  didn't, 
and  wrapped  it  round  the  little  un,  and  clumb  back 
over  the  rocks,  up  to  the  house.  And  so,  Honey- 
suckle —  " 

"  And  so,"  cried  the  child,  taking  his  two  great 
hands  and  putting  them  softly  together,  "  so  I  came 
to  be  your  little  Star ! " 

"  To  be  my  little  Star ! "  assented  the  old  man, 
stooping  to  kiss  the  golden  head. 

"  Your  light  and  your  joy  ! "  exclaimed  the  child, 
laughing  with  pleasure. 

"  My  light  and  my  joy ! "  said  the  old  man, 
solemnly.  "  A  light  from  heaven  to  shine  in  a 
dark  place,  and  the  Lord's  message  to  a  sinful 
man." 

He  was  silent  for  a  little,  looking  earnestly  into 
the  child's  radiant  face.  Presently,  "  You've  been 
happy,  Star  Bright  ? "  he  asked.  "  You  haven't 
missed  nothin'  ?  " 

Star  opened  wide  eyes  of  surprise  at  him.  "  Of 
course  I've  been  happy  ! "  she  said.  "  Why  shouldn't 
I  be?" 

"  You  ain't  —  I   mean   you  haven't  mourned  for 


THE  STORT  27 

your  poor  ma,  have  ye,  Jewel  ?"  He  was  still  look- 
ing curiously  at  her,  and  his  look  puzzled  her. 

"  No,"  she  said,  after  a  pause.  "  Of  course  not 
I  never  knew  my  poor  mamma.  Why  should  I 
mourn  for  her?  She  is  in  heaven,  and  I  am  very 
glad.  Yon  say  heaven  is  much  nicer  than  here,  so 
it  must  be  pleasanter  for  my  poor  mamma;  and 
I  don't  need  her,  because  I  have  you,  Daddy.  But 
go  on,  now,  please,  Paddy  dear.  '  Next  day '  —  " 

"  Next  day,"  resumed  the  obedient  Captain,  "  the 
sky  was  bright  and  clear,  and  only  the  heavy  sea, 
arid  your  poor  ma,  and  you,  Peach  Blossom,  to  tell 
what  had  happened,  so  far  as  I  seed  at  fust.  Bimeby, 
when  I  went  out  to  look,  I  found  other  things." 

"  My  poor  papa ! "  said  Star,  with  an  air  of  great 
satisfaction. 

The  Captain  nodded.  "  Yer  poor  pa,"  he  said, 
"  and  two  others  with  him.  How  did  I  know  he 
was  your  poor  pa  ?  Along  of  his  havin'  your  poor 
ma's  pictur  hung  round  his  neck.  And  a  fine-lookin' 
man  he  was,  to  be  sure  !  " 

"And  his  name  was  <H.  M.M"  cried  the  child, 
eagerly. 

"  Them  was  the  letters  of  it ! "  assented  the  Cap- 
tain. "  Worked  on  his  shirt  and  hank'cher,  so  fine 
as  ever  was.  Well,  Jewel  Bright,  when  I  seed  all 
this,  I  says,  '  January,'  says  I,  '  here's  Christian 
corpses,  and  they  must  have  Christian  burial ! '  I 
says.  So  I  brought  'em  all  up  to  the  house,  and 


28  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

laid  'em  comfortable;  and  then  I  gave  you  a  good 
drink  of  warm  milk  (you'd  been  sleepin'  like  a  little 
angil,  and  only  waked  up  to  smile  and  crow  and  say 
'Tar'),  and  gave  you  a  bright  spoon  to  play  with; 
and  then  I  rowed  over  to  shore  to  fetch  the  minister 
and  the  crowner,  and  everybody  else  as  was  proper. 
You  don't  care  about  this  part,  Honeysuckle,  and  you 
ain't  no  need  to,  but  everything  was  done  decent  and 
Christian,  and  your  parents  and  the  other  two  laid 
peaceful  under  the  big  pine-tree.  Then  the  minister, 
when  'twas  all  done,  he  says  to  me,  * And  now,  my 
friend,'  he  says,  <  I'll  relieve  you  of  the  child,  as 
would  be  a  care  to  you,  and  I  can  find  some  one 
to  take  charge  of  it ! '  he  says.  '  Meanin'  no  dis- 
respect, Minister,'  I  says,  'don't  think  it!  The 
Lord  has  His  views,  you'll  allow,  most  times,  and  He 
had  'em  when  He  sent  the  child  here.  He  could 
ha  7e  sent  her  ashore  by  the  station  jest  as  easy,'  I 
says, *  if  so  be't  had  seemed  best ;  but  He  sent  her  to 
me,'  I  says, '  and  I'll  keep  her.'  '  But  how  can  you 
bring  up  a  child  ? '  he  says, '  alone,  here  on  a  rock  in 
the  ocean  ? '  he  says.  <  I've  been  thinking  that  over, 
Minister,'  I  says,  4  ever  since  I  holt  that  little  un  in 
my  arms,  takin'  her  from  her  dead  mother's  breast,' 
I  says ;  '  and  I  can't  see  that  there's  more  than  three 
things  needed  to  bring  up  a  child,  —  the  Lord's  help, 
common  sense,  and  a  cow.  The  last  two  I  hev,  and 
the  fust  is  likely  to  be  round  when  a  man  asks  for 
it ! '  I  says.  So  then  we  shakes  hands,  and  he  doesn't 


THE  STOEY  29 

say  nothin'  more,  'cept  to  pray  a  blessin'  for  me  and 
for  the  child.  And  the  blessin'  kem,  and  the  blessin' 
stayed,  Star  Bright ;  and  there's  the  end  of  the  story, 
my  maid.  v  / 

"  And  now  it's  time  these  two  eyes  were  shut,  and 
only  the  top  star  shinin'  in  the  old  tower.  Good 
night,  Jewel  1  Good  night,  and  God  bless  you ! " 


CHAPTER  HI. 

INTRODUCING   IMOGEN   AND   BOB 

"  T  MO  GEN  !  "  said  Star,  looking  up  from  her  book, 
A  "  I  don't  believe  you  have  been  listening ! " 
Imogen  looked  up  meekly,  but  made  no  attempt 
to  deny  the  charge. 

"  You  must  listen !  "  said  the  child,  sternly.  "  First 
place,  it's  beautiful:  and  besides,  it's  very  rude  not 
to  listen  when  people  reads.  And  you  ought  not  to 
be  rude,  Imogen  !  "  After  which  short  lecture,  Star 
turned  to  her  book  again, — a  great  book  it  was,  lying 
open  on  the  little  pink  calico  lap,  —  and  went  on 
reading,  in  her  clear  childish  voice : 

« « Over  hill,  over  dale, 

Thorough  bush,  thorough  brier, 

Over  park,  over  pale, 

Thorough  flood,  thorough  fire, 

I  do  wander  everywhere, 

Swifter  than  the  moony  sphere ; 

And  I  serve  the  fairy  queen, 

To  dew  her  orbs  upon  the  green : " 

Do  you  know  what  a  fairy  is,  Imogen  ? "  asked  Star, 
looking  up  again  suddenly, 

30 


INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB  31 

But  this  time  it  was  very  evident  that  Imogen 
(who  was,  in  truth,  a  large  white  cow,  with  a  bell 
round  her  neck)  was  paying  no  attention  whatever 
to  the  reading;  for  she  had  fairly  turned  her  back, 
and  was  leisurely  cropping  the  short  grass,  swaying 
her  tail  in  a  comfortable  and  reflective  manner  the 
while. 

Star  sprang  to  her  feet,  and  seizing  the  delinquent's 
horns,  shook  them  with  all  her  might. 

"  How  dare  you  turn  your  back  when  I  am  read- 
ing ?  "  she  cried.  "  I'm  just  ashamed  of  you  !  You're 
a  disgrace  to  me,  Imogen.  Why,  you  are  as  ignorant 
as  a  —  as  —  as  a  lobster !  and  you  a  great  cow  with 
four  whole  legs.  A  —  a  —  ah !  shame  on  you  ! " 

Imogen  rubbed  her  head  deprecatingly  against  the 
small  pink  shoulder,  and  uttered  a  soft  and  apologetic 
"  moo ; "  but  Star  was  not  ready  to  be  mollified  yet. 

"  And  you  know  it's  my  own  book,  too  !  "  she  con- 
tinued, reproachfully.  "  My  own  Willum  Shake- 
speare, that  I  love  more  —  well,  no !  not  more  than  I 
love  you,  Imogen,  but  just  as  much,  and  almost 
nearly  half  as  much  as  I  love  Daddy  Captain. 

"  But  after  all,"  she  added,  with  a  smile  flitting  over 
her  frowning  little  face,  "  after  all,  you  poor  dear, 
you  are  only  a  cow,  and  I  don't  suppose  you  know." 
And  then  she  hugged  Imogen,  and  blew  a  little  into 
one  of  her  ears,  to  make  her  wink  it,  and  the  two 
were  very  friendly  again. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  know,  Imogen,"  said 


32  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

Star,  confidentially,  seating  herself  once  more  on  the 
ground,  "  why  I  am  so  fond  of  Willum  Shakespeare. 
So  I  will  tell  you.  It  is  really  part  of  my  story,  but 
Daddy  Captain  didn't  get  as  far  as  that  last  night,  so 
I  think  I  will  tell  it  to  you.  Well!"  she  drew  a 
long  breath  of  enjoyment,  and,  clasping  her  hands 
round  her  knees,  settled  herself  for  a  "  good  talk." 

"  Well,  Imogen :  you  see,  at  first  I  was  a  little 
baby,  and  didn't  know  anything  at  all.  But  by  and 
by  I  began  to  grow  big,  and  then  Daddy  Captain  said 
to  himself,  '  Here's  a  child/  he  says, « and  a  child  of 
gentlefolks,  and  she  mustn't  grow  up  in  ignorance, 
and  me  doing  my  duty  by  her  poor  pa  and  ma,'  he 
says.  So  he  rows  over  to  the  town,  and  he  goes  to 
the  minister  (the  same  minister  who  came  over  here 
before),  and  he  says, '  Good  morning,  Minister! '  and 
the  minister  shakes  him  by  the  hand  hearty,  and  says, 
'  Why,  Captain  January ! '  he  says,  '  I'm  amazing 
glad  to  see  you.  And  how  is  the  child?'  And 
Daddy  says, '  The  child  is  a-growing  with  the  flowers,' 
he  says ;  '  and  she's  a-growing  like  the  flowers.  Show 
me  a  rose  that's  as  sweet  and  as  well  growed  as  that 
child,'  he  says, '  and  I'll  give  you  my  head,  Minister.' 
That's  the  way  Daddy  talks,  you  know,  Imogen. 
And  then  he  told  the  minister  how  he  didn't  want 
the  child  (that  was  me,  of  course)  to  grow  up  in 
ignorance,  and  how  he  wanted  to  teach  me.  And 
the  minister  asked  him  was  he  qualified  to  teach. 
'  Not  yet,  I  ain't ! '  says  Daddy  Captain,  « but  I'm 


INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB  33 

a-going  to  be.  I  want  a  book,  or  maybe  a  couple  of 
books,  that'll  edicate  me  in  a  manner  all  round ! '  he 
says.  'I  couldn't  do  with  a  lot  of  'em,'  he  says, 
''cause  I  ain't  used  to  it,  and  it  makes  things  go 
round  inside  my  head.  But  I  think  I  could  tackle 
two  if  they  was  fustrate,'  he  says.  The  minister 
laughed,  and  told  Daddy  he  wanted  a  good  deal. 
Then  he  asked  him  if  he  had  the  Good  Book.  That's 
the  Bible,  you  know,  Imogen.  Daddy  Captain  won't 
let  me  read  that  to  you,  because  you  are  a  beast  that 
perish.  Poor  dear  ! "  she  leaned  forward  and  kissed 
Imogen's  pink  nose.  "  And  Daddy  said  of  course  he 
had  that,  only  the  letters  weren't  so  clear  as  they 
used  to  be,  somehow,  perhaps  along  of  getting  wet  in 
his  weskit  pocket,  being  he  carried  it  along  always. 
So  the  minister  gave  him  a  new  big  BEAUTIFUL  Bible, 
Imogen  !  It  isn't  so  new  now,  but  it's  just  as  big  and 
beautiful,  and  I  love  it.  And  then  he  thought  for  a 
long  time,  the  minister  did,  walking  about  the  room 
and  looking  at  all  the  books.  The  whole  room  was 
full  of  books,  Daddy  says,  all  on  shelves,  'cept  some 
on  the  floor  and  the  table  and  the  chairs.  It  made 
his  head  go  round  dreadful  to  see  them  all,  Daddy 
says  (I  mean  Daddy's  head),  and  think  of  anybody 
reading  them.  He  says  he  doesn't  see  how  in  crea- 
tion the  minister  manages  to  keep  his  bearings,  and 
look  out  for  a  change  in  the  wind,  and  things  that 
have  to  be  done,  and  read  all  those  books  too.  Well !  " 
she  kissed  Imogen's  nose  again,  from  sheer  enjoy- 


34  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

ment,  and  threw  her  head  back  with  a  laugh  of 
delight.  "  Fm  coming  to  it  now,  Imogen ! "  she 
cried.  "  At  last  the  minister  took  down  a  big  book 
—  OH  !  you  precious  old  thing,  how  I  love  you ! " 
(this  apostrophe  was  addressed  to  the  quarto  volume 
which  she  was  now  hugging  rapturously),  "  and  said, 
'  Well,  Captain  January,  here's  the  best  book  in  the 
world,  next  to  the  Good  Book !  *  he  says.  *  You'll 
take  this,'  he  says,  <  as  my  gift  to  you  and  the  child ; 
and  with  these  two  books  to  guide  you,  the  child's 
edication  won't  go  far  wrong ! '  he  says  ;  and  then  he 
gave  Daddy  the  dictionary,  too,  Imogen  ;  but  I  sha'n't 
tell  you  about  that,  because  it's  a  brute,  and  I  hate 
and  'spise  it.  But  —  well !  so,  you  see,  that  was  the 
way  I  got  my  Willum  Shakespeare,  my  joy  and  my 
pride,  my  —  " 

At  this  moment  a  shadow  fell  upon  the  grass,  and 
a  deep,  gruff  voice  was  heard,  saying,  "  Star,  ahoy !  " 
The  child  started  up,  and  turned  to  meet  the  new- 
comer with  a  joyous  smile.  "  Why,  Bob  ! "  she  cried, 
seizing  one  of  his  hands  in  both  of  hers,  and  dancing 
round  and  round  him.  "  Where  did  you  come  from  ? 
Why  aren't  you  on  the  boat  ?  " 

"  Boat's  aground !  "  replied  the  person  addressed  as 
Bob.  He  spoke  in  short,  jerky  sentences.  He  was 
dressed  as  a  seafaring  man ;  had  wide,  helpless-look- 
ing brown  eyes,  an  apologetic  smile,  and  a  bass  voice 
of  appalling  depth  and  power.  "  Boat's  aground,"  he 
repeated,  seating  himself  on  the  grass  and  looking 


INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB  35 

about  for  a  stem  of  grass  long  enough  to  put  in  his 
mouth.  "  Hard  and  fast.  Waiting  for  tide  to  turn ; 
thought  I'd  come,  pass  time  o'  day." 

"  And  how  came  you  to  run  her  aground  ? "  in- 
quired the  child,  severely.  "  A  pretty  pilot  you  are ! 
Why,  I  could  steer  her  myself  better  than  that." 

"  Fog ! "  replied  the  man,  in  a  meek  and  muffled 
roar.  Then  finding  a  bit  of  sorrel,  he  fell  upon  it 
with  avidity,  and  seemed  to  think  he  had  said 
enough. 

"  H'm !  "  said  Star,  with  a  disdainful  little  sniff. 
"  You'd  better  get  Daddy  to  steer  your  boat.  He 
doesn't  mind  fog.  Are  there  many  people  on  board  ?  " 
she  added,  with  an  air  of  interest. 

"  Heaps !  "  replied  Bob,  succinctly.  Then,  after  a 
pause  of  meditative  chewing :  "  Like  to  go  aboard  ? 
take  ye  —  boat  —  Cap'n  willin'." 

"  No,  I  don't  want  to  go  aboard,  thank  you  ! "  said 
Star.  "  I  don't  like  people.  But  you  might  just  row 
me  round  her  once,  Bob,"  she  added.  "  I  think  I 
should  like  that.  But  we  must  wait  till  Daddy  comes, 
of  course." 

"  Cap'n  round  ?  "  inquired  Bob. 

"  He's  setting  the  lobster-pots,"  replied  the  child. 
"  He'll  be  back  soon.  Bob,"  she  added,  irrelevantly, 
a  moment  after,  "  I  never  noticed  before  that  you 
looked  like  Imogen.  Why,  you  are  the  very  image 
of  her,  Bob !  Your  eyes  and  your  expression  are 
exactly  the  same." 


36  CAPTAIN  JANUABY 

Bob  raised  his  eyes  and  surveyed  Imogen  with  a 
critical  air.  "  Fine  cow ! "  he  said  at  last.  "  D'no's 
I  mind  —  'f  she  doosn't." 

"  Isn't  she  a  fine  cow  ? "  cried  little  Star,  patting 
the  meek  and  graceful  head  of  her  favourite.  "I 
don't  believe  there's  another  such  cow  in  the  world. 
I  know  there  isn't!  I  think,"  she  added,  "I  will 
take  a  little  ride  on  her,  while  we  are  waiting  for 
Daddy  Captain.  Will  you  put  me  up,  please,  Bob  ? " 

The  obedient  Bob  lifted  her  as  if  she  were  a  ball  of 
thistle-down,  and  set  her  on  the  broad  back  of  the 
good  cow,  who  straightway  began  to  pace  sedately 
along  the  bit  of  meadow,  following  the  guidance  of 
the  small  hands  which  clasped  her  horns.  Ah  !  who 
will  paint  me  that  picture,  as  my  mind's  eye  sees  it  ? 
The  blue  of  sky  and  sea,  the  ripples  breaking  in  silver 
on  silver  sand,  the  jewelled  green,  where  the  late 
dandelions  flecked  the  grass  with  gold  ;  and  in  the 
midst  the  lovely,  laughing  child,  mounted  on  the 
white  cow,  tossing  her  cloudy  golden  hair,  and  look- 
ing back  with  eyes  of  delight  towards  her  companion. 

The  beauty  of  it  all  filled  the  eyes  and  the  heart  of 
Captain  January,  as  he  came  up  among  the  rocks. 
He  paused,  and  stood  for  some  time  in  silence,  watch- 
ing the  little  well-beloved  figure.  "  Wai !  "  he  said, 
"  if  that  ain't  one  of  the  young-eyed  cherubims,  then 
I  never  seed  one,  that's  all." 

At  this  moment  Star  caught  sight  of  him.  "  0 
Daddy,"  she  cried.  "  My  Daddy  Captain,  I'm  having 


INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB  87 

such  a  fine  ride  !  It  isn't  quite  as  high  as  a  heaven- 
kissing  hill,  but  it's  a  heaven-kissing  cow,  for  Imogen 
is  really  very  high.  Dear  Daddy,  won't  you  come 
and  try  it  ?  there's  plenty  of  room ! " 

"  Thanky,  Peach  Blossom ! "  said  the  Captain,  ad- 
vancing, and  greeting  the  apologetic  Bob  with  a 
hearty  shake  of  the  hand.  "  Thanky  kindly,  but  I 
don't  believe  I  will  try  it.  Ridin'  was  never,  so  as  to 
say,  in  my  line.  I'm  stiddy  enough  on  my  own  pins, 
but  defend  me  from  tryin'  to  git  about  on  another 
critter's.  And  how's  all  with  you,  Bob?  and  why 
ain't  you  aboard  the  Huntress?" 

Bob  in  the  fewest  possible  words  related  the  mis- 
hap which  had  befallen  the  boat,  and  asked  if  he 
might  take  Missy  out  to  see  her. 

"  To  be  sure  !  to  be  sure ! "  said  Captain  January. 
"  That'll  be  a  nice  trip  for  ye,  Honeysuckle.  Put  on 
your  bunnit  and  go  with  Bob.  He'll  take  good  care 
of  ye,  Bob  will." 

And  so,  by  what  seemed  the  merest  chance,  that 
lovely  afternoon,  little  Star  went  with  Bob  Peet,  in 
his  old  black  boat,  to  see  the  steamer  Huntress  aground 
on  a  sand-bank  off  the  main  shore. 

The  sea  lay  all  shining  and  dimpling  in  the 
afternoon  light,  and  not  a  cloud  was  to  be  seen  over- 
head. Here  and  there  a  white  gull  was  slowly  wav- 
ing his  wings  through  the  clear  air,  and  little  fish 
came  popping  their  heads  out  of  the  water,  just  for 
the  pleasure  of  popping  them  back  again.  Star  dipped 


38  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

her  hands  in  the  blue  crystal  below,  and  sang  little 
snatches  of  song,  being  light  of  heart  and  without  a 
care  in  the  world.  They  were  no  nursery  songs  that 
she  sang,  for  she  considered  herself  to  have  outgrown 
the  very  few  Mother  Goose  ditties  which  Captain 
January  had  treasured  in  his  mind  and  heart  ever 
since  his  mother  sang  them  to  him,  all  the  many 
years  ago.  She  was  tired  of 

"  Jacky  Barber's  coming  to  town  : 
Clear  away,  gentlemen  !  clear  away,  gentlemen ! 
One  foot  up  and  t'other  foot  down, 
Jacky  Barber's  coming  to  town." 

But  she  loved  the  scraps  of  sea-song  that  the  old 
Captain  still  hummed  over  his  work :  "  Baltimore," 
and  "  Blow  a  Man  Down,"  and  half  a  dozen  other 
salt-water  ditties :  and  it  might  have  been  strange  to 
less  accustomed  ears  than  Bob  Feet's  to  hear  the 
sweet  child-voice  carolling  merrily : 

«  Boney  was  a  warrior, 
Weigh!  heigh!  oh! 
Boney  was  a  warrior, 
John  Franc,  ois  ! 
Boney  whipped  the  Rooshians, 
Weigh  i  heigh  !  oh  ! 
Boney  whipped  the  Prooshians, 
John  FranQois  ! 
Boney  went  to  Elba, 
Weigh!  heigh!  oh  !  "  etc. 


INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB  39 

Bob's  oars  kept  time  with  the  song,  and  his  por- 
tentous voice  thundered  out  the  refrain  with  an 
energy  which  shook  the  little  skiff  from  stem  to 
stern.  By  the  time  that  "  Boney  "  was  safely  con- 
signed to  his  grave  in  sunny  France,  they  were  near- 
ing  the  flats  on  which  the  steamer  Huntress  lay, 
quietly  awaiting  the  turn  of  the  tide. 

Star  knew  the  great  white  boat  well,  for  twice  a 
day  she  went  thundering  past  Light  Island,  churning 
the  quiet  blue  water  into  foam  with  her  huge  paddles, 
on  her  way  to  and  from  the  gay  summer  city  which 
all  the  world  came  to  visit.  Nearly  every  day  the 
child  would  run  out  on  the  south  rocks  to  wave  a 
greeting  to  some  of  her  acquaintances  among  the 
crew ;  for  she  knew  them  all,  from  the  black-bearded 
captain  down  to  the  tiniest  cabin-boy ;  and  they,  for 
their  part,  were  always  eager  —  good  souls  !  —  for  a 
smile  or  a  nod  from  the  "  Star  of  Light  Island."  Not 
a  man  of  them  but  envied  Bob  Peet  his  privilege  of 
going  when  he  pleased  to  the  lighthouse  rock.  For 
Captain  January  was  not  fond  of  visitors,  and  gave 
them  no  encouragement  to  come,  Bob  Peet  being  the 
single  exception  to  the  rule.  The  Captain  liked  Bob 
because  he  was  not  "  given  to  clatter,"  and  "  knew 
how  to  belay  his  jaw." 

"  I  do  love  to  see  a  man  belay  his  jaw ! "  said  Cap- 
tain January,  unconsciously  quoting  the  words  of 
another  and  a  more  famous  captain,  the  beloved 
David  Dodd.  So  Bob  was  free  to  come  and  go  as  he 


40  CAPTAIN  JANUAET 

liked,  and  to  smoke  his  pipe  in  sociable  silence  for 
hours  at  a  time,  within  the  walls  of  Storm  Castle. 

"Stop  here,  Bob!"  said  Star,  with  an  imperious 
motion  of  her  hand.  "  I  don't  want  to  go  any 
nearer."  The  obedient  Bob  lay  on  his  oars,  and 
both  looked  up  at  the  great  boat,  now  only  a  few 
yards  away.  The  decks  were  crowded  with  passen- 
gers, who  leaned  over  the  railings,  idly  chatting,  or 
watching  the  water  to  see  if  the  tide  had  turned. 

"  Sight  o'  folks,"  said  Bob  Peet,  nodding  towards 
the  alter-deck,  which  seemed  a  solid  mass  of  human 
beings. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  child,  speaking  half  to  herself,  in 
a  low  tone.  "  It's  just  like  the  Tower  of  Babel,  isn't 
it  ?  I  should  think  they  would  be  afraid.  <  And  the 
Lord  scattered  them  abroad  from  thence  upon  the 
face  of  all  the  earth.'  And  it's  so  stupid ! "  she 
added,  after  a  moment's  pause.  "  Why  don't  they 
stay  at  home  ?  Haven't  they  any  homes  to  stay  at  ? 
Who  takes  care  of  their  homes  while  they  go  sailing 
about  like  loons  ? " 

"  Folks  likes  to  v'yage,"  said  Bob  Peet,  with  mild 
toleration.  "  Heaps  —  nothin'  t'  do  —  hot  spells  — 
v'yages."  He  added,  with  an  approach  to  a  twinkle 
in  his  meek  and  cow-like  eyes,  "  Try  it  —  some  day  — 
git  tired  of  oF  Cap'n  —  oF  rock  —  pooty  soon  —  take 
ye  —  v'yaSe  —  " 

His  speech  was  interrupted  by  a  sudden  and  violent 
dash  of  water  in  his  face. 


INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB  41 

"  Take  that ! "  cried  Star,  panting  with  fury,  and 
flinging  the  water  at  him  with  all  her  small  might. 
u  I  wish  it  was  sharp  stones,  instead  of  just  water. 
I  wish  it  was  needles,  and  jagged  rocks,  and  quills 
upon  the  fretful  porkypine,  so  I  do !  How  dare  you 
say  such  things  to  me,  Bob  Peet  ?  How  dare  you  ?  " 
She  paused,  breathless,  but  with  flashing  eyes  and 
burning  cheeks;  while  Bob  meekly  mopped  his  face 
and  head  with  a  red  cotton  handkerchief,  and  shook 
the  water  from  his  ears,  eyeing  her  the  while  with 
humble  and  deprecatory  looks. 

"  No  offence,"  he  muttered,  in  apologetic  thunder- 
rumble.  "  Poor  oP  Bob  —  eh,  Missy  ?  Sorry,  beg 
pardon !  Never  no  more.  Didn't  mean  it  — 
nohow ! " 

The  tempest  subsided  as  suddenly  as  it  rose,  and 
Star,  with  a  forgiving  nod,  took  out  her  own  little 
handkerchief  and  daintily  wiped  a  few  drops  from  her 
victim's  forehead. 

"  You're  so  stupid,  Bob,"  she  said,  frankly,  "  that 
I  suppose  I  ought  not  to  get  angry  with  you,  any 
more  than  I  would  with  Imogen,  though  even  she 
provokes  me  sometimes.  So  I  forgive  you,  Bob. 
But  if  you  ever  say  such  a  thing  again  as  my  getting 
tired  of  Daddy,  I'll  kill  you.  So  now  you  know ! " 

«Jes'  so!"  assented  Bob.  "Nat'rally!  To  b' 
sure ! " 

The  sudden  splashing  of  the  water  had  caught 
many  eyes  on  the  deck  of  the  Huntress,  and  people 


42  CAPTAIN  JANUAEY 

admired  the  "  playfulness  "  of  the  pretty  child  in  the 
little  boat.  One  pair  of  eyes,  however,  was  sharper 
than  the  resto 

"Just  look  at  that  child,  Isabel!"  said  a  tall, 
bronzed  gentleman  who  was  leaning  over  the  taff- 
rail.  "  She  is  a  perfect  little  fury !  I  never  saw  a 
pair  of  eyes  flash  so.  Yery  fine  eyes  they  are,  too. 
A  very  beautiful  child,  Isabel !  why,  my  dear,  what 
is  the  matter  ?  You  are  ill  —  faint !  let  me  —  " 

But  the  lady  at  his  side  pushed  his  arm  away,  and 
leaned  forward,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  Star's  face. 

"  George,"  she  said,  in  a  low,  trembling  voice,  "  I 
want  to  know  who  that  child  is.  I  must  know,  George ! 
Find  out  for  me,  dear,  please !  " 

As  she  spoke,  she  made  a  sign  towards  the  boat,  so 
earnest,  so  imperative,  that  it  caught  Star's  wander- 
ing gaze.  Their  eyes  met,  and  the  little  child  in  the 
pink  calico  frock,  and  the  stately  lady  in  the  India 
shawl,  gazed  at  each  other  as  if  they  saw  nothing  else 
in  the  world.  The  gentleman  looked  from  one  to  the 
other  in  amazement. 

"  Isabel ! "  he  whispered, "  the  child  looks  like  you. 
What  can  this  mean  ?  " 

But  little  Star,  in  the  old  black  boat,  cried,  «  Take 
me  away,  Bob  !  take  me  home  to  my  Daddy  Captain  ! 
Quick  !  do  you  hear  ? " 

«  Jes'  so ! »  said  Bob  Peet.     «  Nat'rally ! " 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   VISIT 

A  GRAY  day !  soft  gray  sky,  like  the  breast  of 
a  dove ;  sheeny  gray  sea,  with  gleams  of  steel 
running  across ;  trailing  skirts  of  mist  shutting  off 
the  mainland,  leaving  Light  Island  alone  with  the 
ocean;  the  white  tower  gleaming  spectral  among 
the  folding  mists ;  the  dark  pine-tree  pointing  a 
sombre  finger  to  heaven ;  the  wet,  black  rocks,  from 
which  the  tide  had  gone  down,  huddling  together  in 
fantastic  groups  as  if  to  hide  their  nakedness. 

On  the  little  beach  two  men  were  slowly  pacing  up 
and  down,  up  and  down,  one  silent,  the  other  talking 
earnestly.  Old  men,  both,  with  white,  reverend  hair : 
one  slender  and  small,  the  other  a  son  of  Anak,  big 
and  brawny,  —  Captain  January  and  the  minister. 

It  was  the  minister  who  had  been  speaking.  But 
now  he  had  done,  and  they  took  a  few  turns  in  silence 
before  the  Captain  spoke  in  reply. 

"  Minister,"  he  said,  —  and  his  voice  was  strangely 
altered  from  the  gruff,  hearty  tone  which  had  greeted 
his  guest  fifteen  minutes  before.  "  Minister,  I  ain't 

43 


44  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

a  man  that's  used  to  hearin'  much  talk,  and  it  con- 
fuses my  mind  a  bit.  There's  things  inside  my  head 
that  seems  to  go  round  and  round,  sometimes,  and 
put  me  out.  Now,  if  it  isn't  askin'  too  much,  I'll  git 
you  to  go  over  them  p'ints  again.  Slow,  like !  slow, 
Minister,  bearin'  in  mind  that  I'm  a  slow  man,  and 
not  used  to  it.  This — this  lady,  she  come  to  your 
house  yisterday,  as  ever  was  ?  " 

"  Yesterday/9  assented  the  minister ;  and  his  voice 
had  a  tender,  almost  compassionate  tone,  as  if  he  were 
speaking  to  a  child. 

"And  a  fine  day  it  were ! "  said  Captain  January. 
"  Wind  steady,  sou' west  by  sou'.  Fog  in  the  mornin', 
and  Bob  Peet  run  the  Huntress  aground  on  the  bank. 
I  never  liked  fog,  Minister  !  '  Give  me  a  gale,'  I'd  say, 
'  or  anythin'  short  of  a  cyclone,9  I'd  say,  <  but  don't 
give  me  fog ! '  and  see  now,  how  it's  come  about ! 
But  it  lifted,  soon  as  the  harm  were  done.  It  lifted, 
and  as  fine  a  day  as  ever  you  see." 

The  minister  looked  at  him  in  some  alarm,  but  the 
old  man's  keen  blue  eyes  were  clear  and  intelligent, 
and  met  his  gaze  openlyc 

"  You're  thinkin*  I'm  crazy,  minister,  or  maybe 
drunk,"  he  said,  quietly ;  "  but  I  ain't  neither  one. 
I'm  on'y  takin9  it  by  and  large.  When  a  man  has 
been  fifteen  year  on  a  desert  island,  ye  see,  he  learns 
to  take  things  by  and  large.  But  I  never  see  good 
come  of  a  fog  yet.  Amen  !  so  be  it !  And  so  Cap'n 
Nazro  brought  the  lady  to  your  house,  Minister  ? '' 


THE    VISIT  45 

"  Captain  Nazro  came  with  her,"  said  the  minister, 
"  and  also  her  husband,  Mr.  Morton,  and  Robert  Peet, 
the  pilot.  Mrs.  Morton  had  seen  little  Star  in  Feet's 
boat,  and  was  greatly  and  painfully  struck  by  the 
child's  likeness  to  a  beloved  sister  of  hers,  who  had, 
it  was  supposed,  perished  at  sea,  with  her  husband 
and  infant  child,  some  ten  years  ago." 

"  Ten  year  ago,"  repeated  Captain  January,  passing 
his  hand  across  his  weather-beaten  face,  which  looked 
older,  somehow,  than  it  was  wont  to  do.  "  Ten  year 
ago  this  September.  « He  holdeth  the  waters  in  the 
hollow  of  His  hand.'  Go  on,  Minister.  The  lady 
thought  my  little  Star,  as  the  Lord  dropped  out  of 
the  hollow  of  His  hand  into  my  arms  ten  year  ago, 
had  a  look  of  her  sister." 

"She  was  so  strongly  impressed  by  it,"  the  minis- 
ter continued,  quietly,  "  that,  failing  to  attract  Feet's 
attention  as  he  rowed  away,  she  sent  for  the  captain, 
and  begged  him  to  give  her  all  the  information  he 
could  about  the  child.  What  she  heard  moved  her 
so  deeply  that  she  became  convinced  of  the  child's 
identity  with  her  sister's  lost  infant.  As  soon  as  Peet 
returned  after  putting  Star  ashore,  she  questioned 
him  even  more  closely.  He,  good  fellow,  refused  to 
commit  himself  to  anything  which  he  fancied  you 
might  not  like,  but  he  told  her  of  my  having  per- 
formed the  last  rites  over  the  mortal  remains  of  the 
child's  parents,  and  Mr.  Morton  wisely  counselled  her 
to  go  at  once  to  me,  instead  of  coming  here,  as  she 


46  CAPTAIN  JANUAET 

at  first  wished  to  do.  After  my  interview  with  her,  I 
am  bound  to  say  —  " 

"  Easy  now,  Minister ! "  interrupted  Captain  Janu- 
ary. "  I'm  an  old  man,  though  I  never  knowed  it  till 
this  day.  Easy  with  this  part ! ?> 

"  I  am  bound  to  say,"  continued  the  minister,  lay- 
ing his  hand  kindly  on  his  companion's  arm,  "  that  I 
think  there  is  little  doubt  of  Star's  being  Mrs.  Morton's 
niece." 

"  And  what  if  she  be  ? "  exclaimed  the  old  sailor, 
turning  with  a  sudden  violence  which  made  the  gentle 
minister  start  back  in  alarm.  "  What  if  she  be  ?  what 
have  the  lady  done  for  her  niece  ?  Did  she  take  her 
out  o'  the  sea,  as  raged  like  all  the  devils  let  loose,  and 
death  itself  a-hangin'  round  and  fairly  howlin'  for  that 
child  ?  did  she  stand  on  that  rock,  blind  and  deef 
and  e'ena'most  mazed  with  the  beatin'  and  roarin' 
and  onearthly  screechin'  all  round,  and  take  that 
child  from  its  dead  mother's  breast,  and  vow  to  the 
Lord,  as  helped  in  savin'  it,  to  do  as  should  be  done 
by  it?  Has  she  prayed,  and  worked,  and  sweat,  and 
laid  awake  nights,  for  fear  that  child's  fingers  should 
ache,  this  ten  years  past  ?  Has  she  —  "  the  old  man's 
voice,  which  had  been  ringing  out  like  a  trumpet, 
broke  off  suddenly.  The  angry  fire  died  out  of  his 
blue  eyes,  and  he  bowed  his  head  humbly.  "  I  ask 
yer  pardon,  Minister ! "  he  said,  quietly,  after  a  pause. 
"  I  humbly  ask  yer  pardon.  I  had  forgotten  the 
Lord,  ye  see,  for  all  I  was  talkin'  about  Him  so  glib. 


THE  VISIT  47 

I  was  takin'  my  view,  and  forge  ttin'  that  the  Lord 
had  His.  He  takes  things  by  and  large,  and  nat'rally 
He  takes  'em  larger  than  mortal  man  kin  do.  Amen  ! 
so  be  it ! "  He  took  off  his  battered  hat,  and  stood 
motionless  for  a  few  moments,  with  bent  head  :  nor 
was  his  the  only  silent  prayer  that  went  up  from  the 
little  gray  beach  to  the  gray  heaven  above. 

"  Well,  Minister,"  he  said,  presently,  in  a  calm  and 
even  cheerful  voice,  "  and  so  that  bein'  all  clear  to 
your  mind,  the  lady  have  sent  you  to  take  my  — 
to  take  her  niece  —  the  little  lady  (and  a  lady  she 
were  from  her  cradle)  back  to  her.  Is  that  the  way 
it  stands  ? " 

"  Oh,  no  !  no  indeed  !  "  cried  the  kind  old  minister. 
"  Mrs.  Morton  would  do  nothing  so  cruel  as  that, 
Captain  January.  She  is  very  kind-hearted,  and  fully 
appreciates  all  that  you  have  done  for  the  little  girl. 
But  she  naturally  wants  to  see  the  child,  and  to  do 
whatever  is  for  her  best  advantage." 

"  For  the  child's  advantage.  That's  it ! "  repeated 
Captain  January.  "  That's  somethin'  to  hold  on  by. 
Go  on,  Minister !  " 

"  So  she  begged  me  to  come  over  alone,"  continued 
the  minister,  "  to  —  to  prepare  your  mind,  and  give 
you  time  to  think  the  matter  well  over.  And  she 
and  Mr.  Morton  were  to  follow  in  the  course  of  an 
hour,  in  Robert  Feet's  boat.  He  is  a  very  singular 
fellow,  that  Peet !  "  added  the  good  man,  shaking  his 
head.  "  Do  you  think  he  is  quite  in  his  right  mind  ? 


48  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

He  has  taken  the  most  inveterate  dislike  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Morton,  and  positively  refuses  to  speak  to  either 
of  them.  I  could  hardly  prevail  upon  him  to  bring 
them  over  here,  and  yet  he  fell  into  a  strange  fury 
when  1  spoke  of  getting  some  one  else  to  bring  them. 
He  —  he  is  quite  safe,  I  suppose  ? " 

"  Wai,  yes ! "  replied  Captain  January,  with  a  half 
smile.  "  Bob's  safe,  if  any  one  is.  Old  Bob !  so  he 
doosn't  like  them,  eh  ?  " 

At  that  moment  his  eye  caught  something,  and  he 
said,  in  an  altered  voice,  "  Here's  Bob's  boat  coming 
now,  Minister,  and  the  lady  and  gentleman  in  her." 

"  They  must  have  come  much  more  rapidly  than  I 
did,"  said  the  minister,  "and  yet  my  boy  rows  well 
enough.  Compose  yourself,  January  !  this  is  a  heavy 
blow  for  you,  my  good  friend.  Compose  yourself ! 
Things  are  strangely  ordered  in  this  world.  '  We  see 
through  a  glass  darkly' ! " 

"  Not  meanin'  to  set  my  betters  right,  Minister," 
said  Captain  January,  "  I  never  seed  as  it  made  any 
difference  whether  a  man  seed  or  not,  darkly  or  how- 
sumdever,  so  long  as  the  Lord  made  His  views  clear. 
And  He's  makin'  'em ! "  he  added.  "  He's  makin' 
'em,  Minister  !  Amen  !  so  be  it !  "  And  quietly  and 
courteously,  ten  minutes  later,  he  was  bidding  his  vis- 
itors welcome  to  Light  Island,  as  if  it  were  a  king- 
dom, and  he  the  crownless  monarch  of  it.  "  It's  a 
poor  place,  Lady ! "  he  said,  with  a  certain  stately 
humility,  as  he  helped  Mrs.  Morton  out  of  the  boat. 


THE  VISIT  49 

"  Good  anchorage  for  a  shipwrecked  mariner  like  me, 
but  no  place  for  ladies  or  —  or  them  as  belongs  to 
ladies." 

"  0  Captain  January ! "  cried  Mrs.  Morton,  who  was 
a  tall,  fair  woman,  with  eyes  like  Star's  own.  "  What 
shall  I  say  to  you  ?  I  must  seem  to  you  so  cruel,  so 
heartless,  to  come  and  ask  for  the  child  whom  you 
have  loved  and  cared  for  so  long.  For  that  is  what 
I  have  come  for !  I  must  speak  frankly,  now  that  I 
see  your  kind,  honest  face.  I  have  come  to  take  my 
sister's  child,  for  it  is  my  duty  to  do  so."  She  laid 
both  hands  on  the  old  man's  arm,  and  looked  up  in 
his  face  with  pleading,  tearful  eyes. 

But  Captain  January's  face  did  not  move  as  he 
answered,  quietly,  "  It  is  your  duty,  Lady.  No  ques- 
tion o'  that,  to  my  mind  or  any.  But,"  he  added, 
with  a  wistful  look,  "  I'll  ask  ye  to  do  it  easy,  Lady. 
It'll  be  sudden  like  for  the  —  for  the  young  lady. 
And  —  she  ain't  used  to  bein'  took  sudden,  my  ways 
bein'  in  a  manner  slow.  You'll  happen  find  her  a 
little  quick,  Lady,  in  her  ways,  she  bein'  used  to 
a  person  as  was  in  a  manner  slow,  and  havin'  to  be 
quick  for  two,  so  to  say.  But  it's  the  sparkle  o'  gold, 
Lady,  and  a  glint  o'  diamonds." 

But  the  lady  was  weeping,  and  could  not  answer ; 
so  Captain  January  turned  to  her  husband,  who  met 
him  with  a  warm  grasp  of  the  hand,  and  a  few  hearty 
and  kindly  words. 

"And  now  I'll  leave  ye  with  the  minister  for  a 


50  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

minute,  Lady  and  Gentleman,"  the  Captain  said; 
"for  Bob  Peet  is  a-signallin'  me  as  if  he'd  sprung 
aleak  below  the  water  line,  and  all  hands  goin'  to  the 
bottom." 

Bob,  who  had  withdrawn  a  few  paces  after  beach- 
ing his  boat,  was  indeed  making  frantic  demonstra- 
tions to  attract  the  Captain's  attention,  dancing  and 
snapping  his  fingers,  and  contorting  his  features  in 
strange  and  hideous  fashion. 

"  Well,  Bob,"  said  the  old  man,  walking  up  to  him, 
"  what's  up  with  you,  and  why  are  ye  h'istin'  and 
lowerin'  your  jib  in  that  onarthly  fashion  ?  " 

Bob  Peet  seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  led  him 
away  up  the  beach.  "  Cap'n,"  he  said,  looking 
round  to  make  sure  that  they  were  out  of  hearing 
of  the  others,  "  I  can't  touch  a  lady  —  not  seamanly  ! 
But  'f  you  say  the  word  —  knock  gen'l'm'n  feller  — 
middle  o'  next  week.  Say  the  word,  Cap'n !  Good's 
a  meal  o'  vittles  tf  me  —  h'ist  him  over  cliff ! " 


CHAPTER  V. 

CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAB 

AND  where  was  little  Star,  while  all  this  was 
going  on  down  on  the  beach  ?  Oh,  she  had 
been  having  a  delightful  afternoon.  It  was  cloudy, 
and  Daddy  was  going  to  be  busy,  so  she  had  deter- 
mined to  spend  an  hour  or  so  in  her  own  room,  and 
enjoy  all  the  delights  of  "  dressing  up."  For  the 
great  chest  that  had  been  washed  ashore  from  the 
wreck,  the  day  after  she  herself  had  come  to  the 
island,  was  full  of  clothes  belonging  to  her  "  poor 
mamma;"  and  as  we  have  seen,  the  little  woman 
was  fully  inclined  to  make  use  of  them. 

Beautiful  clothes  they  were ;  rich  silks  and  velvets, 
with  here  and  there  cloudy  laces  and  strange  webs 
of  Eastern  gauze.  For  she  had  been  a  beautiful 
woman,  this  poor  mamma,  and  it  had  been  the 
delight  of  Hugh  Maynard,  her  proud  and  fond  hus- 
band, to  deck  his  lovely  wife  in  all  rare  and  precious 
stuffs.  Some  of  them  were  stained  with  sea-water, 
and  many  of  the  softer  stuffs  were  crumpled  and 
matted  hopelessly,  but  that  mattered  little  to  Star. 
Her  eyes  delighted  in  soft,  rich  colours,  and  she  was 

51 


52  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

never  weary  of  turning  them  over  and  over,  trying 
them  on,  and  "  playing  s'pose  "  with  them. 

"  S'pose,"  she  would  say,  "  my  poor  mamma  was 
going  to  a  banquet,  like  the  Capulet  one,  or  Mac- 
beth's.  Oh,  no !  'cause  that  would  have  been  horrid, 
with  ghosts  and  daggers  and  things.  S'pose  it  was 
the  Capulets !  Then  she  would  put  on  this  pink  silk. 
Isn't  it  pretty,  and  soft,  and  creamy  ?  Just  like  the 
wild  roses  on  the  south  side  of  the  meadow,  that  I 
made  a  wreath  of  for  Imogen  on  her  birthday.  Dear 
Imogen !  it  was  so  becoming  to  her.  Well,  so  my 
poor  mamma  put  it  on  —  so!  and  then  she  paced 
through  the  hall,  and  all  the  lords  turned  round  and 
said,  '  Mark'st  thou  yon  lady  ? '  'Cause  she  was  so 
beautiful,  you  know.  This  is  the  way  she  paced ! " 
and  then  the  little  creature  would  fall  to  pacing  up 
and  down  the  room,  dragging  the  voluminous  pink 
folds  behind  her,  her  head  thrown  back,  and  a  look 
of  delighted  pride  lighting  up  her  small  face. 

It  was  the  funniest  little  place,  this  room  of  Star's, 
the  queerest,  quaintest  little  elfin  bower!  It  was 
built  out  from  the  south  side  of  the  tower,  almost 
like  a  swallow's  nest,  only  a  swallow's  nest  has  no 
window  looking  out  on  the  blue  sea.  There  was  a 
little  white  bed  in  a  corner,  and  a  neat  chest  of 
drawers,  and  a  wash-stand,  all  made  by  Captain 
January's  skilful  hands,  and  all  shining  and  spot- 
less. The  bare  floor  was  shining  too,  and  so  was 
the  little  looking-glass  which  hung  upon  the  wall. 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAB  53 

And  beside  the  looking-glass,  and  above  it,  and  in 
fact  all  over  the  walls,  were  trophies  and  wonders 
of  all  kinds  and  descriptions.  There  was  the  starfish 
with  ten  legs,  pinned  up  in  sprawling  scarlet;  and 
there,  beside  him,  the  king  of  all  the  sea-urchins, 
resplendent  with  green  and  purple  horns.  And  here 
were  ropes  of  shells,  and  branches  of  coral,  and  over 
the  bed  a  great  shining  star,  made  of  the  delicate 
gold-shells.  That  was  Daddy's  present  to  her  on  her 
last  birthday.  Dear  Daddy !  There,  sitting  in  the 
corner,  was  Mrs.  Neptune,  the  doll  which  Captain 
January  had  carved  out  of  a  piece  of  fine  wood  that 
had  drifted  ashore  after  a  storm.  Her  eyes  were 
tiny  black  snail-shells,  her  hair  was  of  brown  sea- 
moss,  very  thick  and  soft  ("  though  as  for  combing 
it,"  said  Star,  "  it  is  im-possible  ! "),  and  a  smooth 
pink  shell  was  set  in  either  cheek, "  to  make  a  blush." 
Mrs.  Neptune  was  somewhat  battered,  as  Star  was 
in  the  habit  of  knocking  her  head  against  the  wall 
when  she  was  in  a  passion ;  but  she  maintained  her 
gravity  of  demeanour,  and  always  sat  with  her  back 
perfectly  straight,  and  with  an  air  of  protest  against 
everything  in  general. 

In  the  window  stood  the  great  chest,  at  once  a 
treasure-chamber  and  a  seat ;  and  over  it  hung  one 
of  the  most  precious  things  of  Star's  little  world.  It 
was  a  string  of  cocoanut-shells.  Fifteen  of  them 
there  were,  and  each  one  was  covered  with  curious 
and  delicate  carving,  and  each  one  meant  a  whole 


54  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

year  of  a  man's  life.  "  For  the  nuts  was  ripe  when 
we  kem  ashore,  my  good  mate  Job  Hotham  and  me, 
on  that  island.  So  when  the  nuts  was  ripe  agin,  ye 
see,  Jewel  Bright,  we  knowed  'twas  a  year  since  we 
kem.  So  I  took  my  jack-knife  and  carved  this  first 
shell,  as  a  kind  o'  token,  ye  know,  and  not  thinkin' 
there'd  be  so  many  to  carve."  So  the  first  shell  was 
all  covered  with  ships :  fair  vessels,  with  sails  all  set, 
and  smooth  seas  rippling  beneath  them,  —  the  ships 
that  were  even  then  on  their  way  to  rescue  the  two 
castaways.  And  the  second  was  carved  with  anchors, 
the  sign  of  hope,  and  with  coils  of  rope,  and  nautical 
instruments,  and  things  familiar  to  seamen's  eyes. 
But  the  third  was  carved  with  stars,  and  sickle- 
curved  moons,  and  broad-rayed  suns,  "  Because,  ye 
see,  Peach  Blossom,  arthly  hope  bein'  as  ye  might 
say  foundered,  them  things,  and  what  was  above  'em, 
stayed  where  they  was ;  and  it  stiddied  a  man's  mind 
to  think  on  'em,  and  to  make  a  note  on  'em  as  fur  as 
might  be."  And  then  came  one  covered  with  flowers 
and  berries,  and  another  with  fruits,  and  another  with 
shells,  and  so  on  through  the  whole  fifteen.  They 
hung  now  in  little  Star's  window,  a  strange  and  pite- 
ous record  ;  and  every  night  before  the  child  said  her 
prayers,  she  kissed  the  first  and  last  shell,  and  then 
prayed  that  Daddy  Captain  might  forget  the  "  dread- 
ful time,"  and  never,  never  think  about  it  again. 

So,  on  this  gray  day,  when  other  things  were  going 
on  out-of-doors,  Star  was  having  a  "  good  time  "  in 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAR  55 

her  room.  She  had  found  in  the  treasure-chest  a 
short  mantle  of  gold-coloured  velvet,  which  made 
"  a  just  exactly  skirt "  for  her,  the  two  ends  trailing 
behind  enough  to  give  her  a  sense  of  dignity,  but  not 
enough  to  impede  her  movements.  "  For  I  am  not 
a  princess  to-day !  "  she  said ;  "  I  am  delicate  Ariel, 
and  the  long  ones  get  round  my  feet  so  I  can't  run." 
Then  came  a  long  web  of  what  she  called  "  sunshine," 
and  really  it  might  have  been  woven  of  sunbeams,  so 
airy-light  was  the  silken  gauze  of  the  fabric.  This 
my  lady  had  wound  round  and  round  her  small  per- 
son with  considerable  art,  the  fringed  ends  hanging 
from  either  shoulder,  and  making,  to  her  mind,  a  fair- 
substitute  for  wings.  "  See  !  "  she  cried,  running  to 
and  fro,  and  glancing  backward  as  she  ran.  "  They 
wave !  they  really  do  wave !  Look,  Mrs.  Neptune ! 
aren't  they  lovely  ?  But  you  are  envious,  and  that 
is  why  you  look  so  cross.  '  Merrily,  merrily,  shall  I 
live  now,  under  the  blossom  that  hangs  on  the 
bough.'"  She  leaped  and  danced  about  the  room, 
light  and  radiant  as  a  creature  of  another  world : 
then  stopped,  to  survey  with  frowning  brows  her 
little  blue  stockings  and  stout  laced  boots.  "  Ariel 
never  wore  such  things  as  those  ! "  she  declared  ;  "  if 
you  say  she  did,  Mrs.  Neptune,  you  show  your  igno- 
rance, and  that  is  all  I  have  to  say  to  you."  Off 
came  the  shoes  and  stockings,  and  the  little  white 
feet  were  certainly  much  prettier  to  look  at.  "  Now," 
cried  Star,  "  I  will  go  down-stairs  and  wait  for  Daddy 


56  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

Captain,  and  perhaps  he  will  think  I  am  a  real  fairy. 
Oh,  wouldn't  that  be  fun  ?  I  am  sure  I  look  like 
one ! "  and  down  the  stairs  she  flitted  like  a  golden 
butterfly.  Once  in  the  kitchen,  the  housewife  in  her 
triumphed  for  a  moment  over  the  fairy :  she  raked 
up  the  fire,  put  on  more  wood,  and  swept  the  hearth 
daintily.  "  But  Ariel  did  such  things  for  Prospero," 
she  said.  "I'm  Ariel  just  the  same,  so  I  may  as 
well  fill  the  kettle  and  put  some  apples  down  to 
roast."  This  was  soon  done,  and  clapping  her  hands 
with  delight  the  "tricksy  spirit"  began  to  dance 
and  frolic  anew. 

"  <  Come  unto  these  yellow  sands, 
And  then  take  hands  ! '  " 

she  sang,  holding  out  her  hands  to  invisible  compan- 
ions. 

"'Courtesied  when  ye  have,  and  kissed 

(The  wild  waves  whist  !) 
Foot  it  featly  here  and  there.' 

"  Oh !  foot  it  featly,  and  feat  it  footly,  and  dance 
and  sing,  and  tootle-ty  ting !  "  cried  the  child,  as  she 
flitted  like  a  golden  cloud  about  the  room.  Then,  as 
she  whirled  round  and  faced  the  door,  she  stopped 
short.  Her  arms  fell  by  her  side,  and  she  stood  as 
if  spellbound,  looking  at  the  lady  who  stood  in  the 
doorway. 

The  lady  made  no  motion  at  first,  but  only  gazed 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAB  57 

at  her  with  loving  and  tender  eyes.  She  was  a  beau- 
tiful lady,  and  her  eyes  were  soft  and  blue,  with  a 
look  of  tears  in  them.  But  there  was  no  answering 
softness  in  the  starry  eyes  of  the  child:  only  a  wide, 
wild  look  of  wonder,  of  anger,  perhaps  of  fear.  Pres- 
ently the  lady,  still  silent,  raised  both  hands,  and 
kissed  them  tenderly  to  the  child ;  then  laid  them  on 
her  breast,  and  then  held  them  out  to  her  with  a  ges- 
ture of  loving  appeal. 

"I  don't  know  whether  you  are  a  spirit  of  health 
or  a  goblin  damned,"  said  Star ;  "  but  anyhow  it 
isn't  polite  to  come  into  people's  houses  without 
knocking,  /think.  I  knowed  you  were  a  spirit  when 
you  looked  at  me  yesterday,  if  you  did  have  a  red 
shawl  on." 

"  How  did  you  know  that  I  was  a  spirit  ? "  asked 
the  lady  softly.  "  Oh,  little  Star,  how  did  you 
know?" 

"  'Cause  you  looked  like  my  poor  mamma's  pic- 
ture," replied  the  child,  "that  my  poor  papa  had 
round  his  neck.  Are  you  my  mamma's  spirit?" 

The  lady  shook  her  head. .  "  No,  darling,"  she  said, 
"  I  am  no  spirit.  But  I  have  come  to  see  you,  little 
Star,  and  to  tell  you  something.  Will  you  not  let 
me  come  in,  Sweetheart  ?  " 

Star  blushed,  and  hung  her  head  for  a  moment, 
remembering  Captain  January's  lessons  on  politeness 
and  "  quarter-deck  manners."  She  brought  a  chair 
at  once,  and  in  a  more  gracious  tone  said  (mindful  of 


58  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

Willum  Shakespeare's  lords  and  ladies),  "  I  pray  you 
sit!" 

The  lady  sat  down,  and  taking  the  child's  hand, 
drew  her  gently  towards  her.  "  Were  you  playing 
fairy,  dear  ? "  she  asked,  smoothing  back  the  golden 
hair  with  loving  touch. 

Star  nodded.  "  I  was  delicate  Ariel,"  she  said. 
"  I  was  footing  it  featly,  you  know,  on  these  yellow 
sands.  Sometimes  I  am  Puck,  and  sometimes  'Pita- 
ania ;  but  Daddy  likes  Ariel  best,  and  so  do  I.  Did 
you  ever  play  it  ? "  she  asked,  looking  up  into  the 
kindly  face  that  bent  over  her. 

The  lady  smiled  and  shook  her  head.  "  No,  dear 
child,"  she  said,  still  with  that  motherly  touch  of  the 
hand  on  the  fair  head.  "  I  never  thought  of  such  a 
pretty  play  as  that,  but  I  was  very  happy  as  a  child 
playing  with  my  —  with  my  sister.  I  had  a  dear, 
dear  sister,  Star.  Would  you  like  to  hear  about  her  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Star,  with  wondering  eyes.  "  Was 
she  a  little  girl?" 

"  Such  a  lovely  little  girl ! "  said  the  lady.  "  Her 
hair  was  dark,  but  her  eyes  were  like  yours,  Star, 
blue  and  soft.  We  played  together  always  as  chil- 
dren, and  we  grew  up  together,  two  loving,  happy 
girls.  Then  my  sister  married  :  and  by  and  by,  dear, 
she  had  a  little  baby.  A  sweet  little  girl  baby,  and 
she  named  it  Isabel,  after  men" 

"  I  was  a  little  girl  baby,  too,"  said  Star,  "  but  I 
wasn't  named  anything ;  I  came  so  :  just  Star." 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAB  59 

"  Little  Isabel  had  another  name,"  said  the  lady. 
"  Her  other  name  was  Maynard,  because  that  was  her 
father's  name.  Her  father  was  Hugh  Maynard. 
Have  you  ever  seen  or  heard  that  name,  my 
child?" 

Star  shook  her  head.  "  No !  "  she  said  ;  "  my 
poor  papa's  name  was  H.  M.  It  was  marked  on  his 
shirt  and  han'k'chief,  Daddy  says.  And  my  poor 
mamma's  name  was  Helena,  just  like  Helena  in  *  Mid- 
summer Night's  Dream.'  "  The  motherly  hand  trem- 
bled, and  the  lady's  voice  faltered  as  she  said,  "  Star, 
my  dear  sister's  name  was  Helena,  too.  Is  not  that 
strange,  my  little  one  ?" 

The  child  looked  curiously  at  her.  "  Where  is 
your  dear  sister  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Why  do  you  cry 
when  you  say  her  name  ?  is  she  naughty  ?  " 

"Listen,  Star,"  said  the  lady,  wiping  the  tears 
from  her  eyes,  and  striving  to  speak  composedly. 

"  My  sister  made  a  voyage  to  Europe,  with  her  hus- 
band and  her  little  baby.  They  spent  the  summer 
travelling  in  beautiful  countries ;  and  in  the  autumn, 
in  September,  Star,  ten  years  ago  this  very  year,  — 
think  of  it,  my  dear  !  —  they  sailed  for  home.  They 
came  in  a  sailing-vessel,  because  the  sea-voyage  was 
thought  good  for  your  —  for  my  sister.  And  —  and 
—  the  vessel  was  never  heard  from.  There  was  a 
terrible  storm  and  many  vessels  were  lost  in  it." 

"  Just  like  my  poor  mamma's  ship,"  said  the 
child.  "  Perhaps  it  was  the  same  storm.  Do  you 


60  CAPTAIN  JANUABT 

think  —  why  do  you  look   at  me  so?"    she  cried, 
breaking  off  suddenly. 

But  the  lady  put  both  arms  round  her  and  drew 
her  close,  close,  while  her  tears  fell  fast  on  the  golden 
hair.  "  My  darling ! "  she  cried,  "  my  dear,  dear 
little  one !  It  was  the  same  storm ;  the  same  storm 
and  the  same  ship.  Your  poor  mamma  was  my  own 
sweet  sister  Helena,  and  you  are  my  niece,  my  little 
Isabel,  my  own,  own  little  namesake.  Will  you  love 
me,  darling  ?  will  you  love  your  Aunt  Isabel,  and  let 
her  care  for  you  and  cherish  you  as  your  sweet  mother 
would  have  done  ?  " 

Star  stood  very  still,  neither  returning  nor  repelling 
the  lady's  caresses.  She  was  pale,  and  her  breath 
came  short  and  quick,  but  otherwise  she  showed  no 
sign  of  agitation.  Presently  she  put  up  her  hand  and 
stroked  the  lady's  cheek  gently.  "  Why  do  you  cry  ?  " 
she  asked,  quietly.  "  My  poor  mamma  is  in  heaven. 
Don't  you  like  her  to  be  in  heaven  ?  Daddy  says  it 
is  much  nicer  than  here,  and  he  knows." 

Mrs.  Morton  checked  her  tears,  and  smiled  ten- 
derly in  the  little  wondering  face,,  "  Dear  child  !  " 
she  said,  "  I  do  like  to  have  her  in  heaven,  and  I  will 
not  cry  any  more.  But  you  have  not  told  me  whether 
you  will  love  me,  Star.  Will  you  try,  dear  ?  and  will 
you  let  me  call  you  my  little  Isabel  ?" 

"I  will  love  you,"  replied  the  child,  "if  Daddy 
Captain  loves  you ;  I  will  love  you  very  much.  But 
you  must  not  call  me  that  name,  'cause  I'm  not  it.  I 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAB  61 

am  just  Star.  Does  Daddy  love  you  ? "  she  asked ; 
and  then,  with  a  sudden  note  of  anxiety  in  her  voice, 
she  exclaimed,  "Where  is  Daddy?  Where  is  niy 
Daddy  Captain?  Did  you  see  him  when  you  came 
in?" 

Her  question  was  answered  by  the  sound  of  voices 
outside ;  and  the  next  moment  the  minister  appeared, 
followed  by  Mr.  Morton  and  Captain  January.  The 
old  Captain  hastened  to  place  a  chair  for  each  of  the 
gentlemen  by  the  fireside,  and  then  took  his  stand 
against  the  wall  on  the  further  side  of  the  room. 
He  held  his  weather-beaten  cap  in  his  hand,  and 
turned  it  slowly  round  and  round,  considering  it 
attentively,,  It  might  have  been  observed  by  one 
quick  to  notice  trifles,  that  he  did  not  look  at  the 
child,  though  no  slightest  motion  of  hers  was  lost 
upon  him. 

"  George,"  said  Mrs.  Morton,  joyously,  to  her  hus- 
band, "  here  is  our  little  niece,  dearest  Helena's 
child.  She  is  going  to  love  me,  she  says,  and  she 
will  love  you,  too.  Star,  my  darling,  this  is  your 
Uncle  George.  Will  you  not  give  him  a  kiss,  and  be 
his  little  girl  as  well  as  mine  ?  We  have  two  little 
girls  at  home,  and  you  shall  be  the  third." 

Star  went  obediently  to  Mr.  Morton,  who  kissed  her 
warmly,  and  tried  to  take  her  on  his  knee.  "  You  are 
taller  than  our  Grace,"  he  said,  "  but  I  don't  believe 
you  are  as  heavy,  my  dear.  Grace  is  just  your  age, 
and  I  am  sure  you  will  be  great  friends." 


62  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

But  Star  slipped  quietly  from  his  arms,  and,  run- 
ning to  the  Captain,  took  one  of  his  hands  in  both  of 
hers  and  kissed  it.  "  I  am  Daddy  Captain's  little 
girl ! "  she  said,  looking  round  bravely  at  the  others. 
"  Why  do  you  talk  as  if  I  belonged  to  you  ? "  Then 
seeing  the  trouble  in  Mrs.  Morton's  face,  she  added, 
"  I  will  love  you,  truly  I  will,  and  I  will  call  you 
Aunt  Isabel ;  but  I  cannot  belong  to  different  people, 
'cause  I'm  only  just  one.  Just  Captain  January's 
Star." 

She  looked  up  in  the  old  man's  face  with  shining 
eyes,  but  no  tender,  confident  look  returned  her 
glance.  The  brown  hand  trembled  between  her  two 
little  white  palms ;  the  keen  blue  eyes  were  still  bent 
fixedly  upon  the  old  woollen  cap,  as  if  studying  its 
texture ;  but  it  was  in  a  quiet  and  soothing  tone  that 
the  Captain  murmured : 

"  Easy,  Jewel  Bright !  Easy?  now  !  Helm  steady, 
and  stand  by !  " 

There  was  a  moment  of  troubled  silence ;  and  then 
the  old  minister,  clearing  his  throat,  spoke  in  his 
gentle,  tranquil  voice.  "  My  dear  child,"  he  said. 
"  a  very  strange  thing  has  come  to  pass ;  but  what 
seems  strange  to  us  is  doubtless  clear  and  simple  to 
the  Infinite  Wisdom  above  us.  You  have  been  a 
faithful  and  loving  child,  little  Star,  to  your  beloved 
guardian  and  friend  here,  and  no  father  could  have 
cared  for  you  more  tenderly  than  he  has  done.  But 
the  tie  of  blood  is  a  strong  one,  my  dear,  and  should 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAR  63 

not  be  lightly  set  aside.  This  lady  is  your  own  near 
relation,  the  sister  of  your  dear  dead  mother. 
Through  the  merciful  providence  of  God,  she  has 
been  led  to  you,  and  she  feels  it  her  duty  to  claim 
you,  in  the  name  of  your  parents.  We  have  con- 
sidered the  matter  carefully,  and  we  all  feel  that  it  is 
right  that  you  should  hereafter  make  your  home  with 
her  and  your  uncle.  This  may  be  painful  to  you,  my 
dear ;  but  you  are  a  good  and  intelligent  child,  and 
you  will  understand  that  if  we  give  you  pain  now,  it 
is  to  secure  your  future  good  and  happiness."  * 

He  paused  ;  and  all  eyes,  save  those  keen  blue  ones 
which  were  studying  so  carefully  the  texture  of  the 
battered  woollen  cap,  turned  anxiously  on  the  child, 
A  deep  flush  passed  over  Star's  face  ;  then  vanished, 
leaving  it  deadly  pale,  a  mask  of  ivory  with  eyes  of 
flame.  When  she  spoke,  it  was  in  a  low,  suppressed 
voice,  wholly  unlike  her  own. 

"  You  may  kill  me,"  said  the  child,  "  and  take  my 
body  away,  if  you  like.  I  will  not  go  while  I  am 
alive." 

She  turned  her  eyes  from  one  to  the  other,  as  if 
watching  for  the  slightest  motion  to  approach  her. 

Mrs.  Morton,  in  great  distress,  spoke  next.  "  My 
darling,  it  grieves  me  to  the  heart  to  take  you  from 
your  dear,  kind  Daddy.  But  think,  my  Star  ;  you  are 
a  child  now,  but  you  will  soon  be  a  woman.  You 
cannot  grow  up  to  womanhood  in  a  place  like  this. 
You  must  be  with  your  own  people,  and  have  com- 


64  CAPTAIN  JAN  VARY 

panions  of  your  own  age.  My  children  will  be  like 
your  own  sisters  and  brothers.  My  dear,  if  you  could 
only  know  how  they  will  love  you,  how  we  shall  all 
cherish  and  care  for  you !  " 

"  When  I  am  dead  ?  "  asked  Star.  "  It  will  make 
no  difference  to  me,  your  love,  for  I  shall  be  dead.  I 
will  not  go  alive." 

"  Oh,  Captain  January ! "  cried  Mrs.  Morton,  turn- 
ing to  the  old  man  with  clasped  hands.  "  Speak  to  her ! 
she  will  listen  to  you.  Tell  her  —  tell  her  what  you 
said  to  me.  Tell  her  that  it  is  right  for  her  to  go ; 
that  you  wish  her  to  go ! " 

The  old  man's  breathing  was  heavy  and  laboured, 
and  for  a  moment  it  seemed  as  if  he  strove  in* vain 
for  utterance :  but  when  he  spoke,  his  voice  'ras  still 
soothing  and  cheerful,  though  his  whole  great  frame 
was  trembling  like  a  withered  leaf.  "  Star  Bright," 
he  said  (and  between  almost  every  word  he  paused 
to  draw  the  short,  heavy  breath),  "I  always  told  ye, 
ye  'member,  that  ye  was  the  child  of  gentlefolks.  So 
bein',  'tis  but  right  that  you  should  have  gentle  raisin' 
by  them  as  is  yer  own  flesh  and  blood.  You've  done 
your  duty,  and  more  than  your  duty,  by  me.  Now 
'tis  time  ye  did  your  duty  by  them  as  the  Lord  has 
sent  to  ye.  You'll  have  —  my  —  my  respeckful  love 
and  duty  wherever  you  go,  my  dear,  and  you  growin' 
up  to  be  a  beautiful  lady,  as  has  been  a  little  wild 
lass.  And  you'll  not  forget  the  old  Cap'n,  well  I 
know,  as  will  be  very  comf  table  here  — " 


CAPTAIN  JANUAEY'S  STAE  65 

But  here  the  child  broke  out  with  a  wild,  loud  cry, 
which  made  all  the  others  start  to  their  feet.  "Do 
you  want  me  to  go  ? "  she  cried.  "  Look  at  me,  Daddy 
Captain !  you  shall  look  at  me  ! "  She  snatched  the  cap 
from  his  hands  and  flung  it  into  the  fire,  then  faced 
him  with  blazing  eyes  and  quivering  lip.  "  Do  you 
want  me  to  go  ?  Are  you  tired  of  me  ?  " 

Heavier  and  heavier  grew  that  weight  on  Captain 
January's  chest :  shorter  and  harder  came  his  breath. 
His  eyes  met  the  child's  for  a  moment,  then  wavered 
and  fell.  "  Why  —  honey  —  "  he  said,  slowly,  "I  — 
I'm  an  old  man  now  —  a  very  old  man.  And  —  and 
—  an  old  man  likes  quiet,  ye  see  :  and  —  I'd  be  qui- 
eter by  myself,  like ;  and  —  and  so,  honey  —  I  —  I'd 
like  ye  to  go." 

"  You  lie  I "  cried  the  child ;  and  her  voice  rang 
like  a  silver  trumpet  in  the  startled  ears  of  the  listen- 
ers. "  You  lie  to  me,  and  you  lie  to  God :  and  you 
know  you  lie  !  " 

The  next  moment  she  had  sprung  on  to  the  low 
window-sill,  then  turned  for  an  instant,  with  her  little 
hands  clenched  in  menace,  and  her  great  eyes  flash- 
ing fire  that  fell  like  a  burning  touch  on  every  heart. 
Her  fantastic  dress  gleamed  like  a  fiery  cloud  against 
the  gray  outside :  her  hair  fell  like  a  glory  about  her 
vivid,  shining  face.  A  moment  she  stood  there,  a 
vision,  a  flying  star,  trailing  angry  light,  never  to  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  saw ;  then,  like  a  flash,  she 
vanished. 


66  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

Captain  January  tottered  to  his  old  chair  and  sat 
down  in  it.  "The  child  is  right,  Lady  and  Gentle- 
man!" he  said.  "1  lied!  1  lied  Jo  my  God,  and  to 
the  little  child  who  loved  me.  May  God  and  the 
child  forgive  me ! "  And  he  hid  his  face  in  his 
hands,  and  silence  fell  for  a  moment. 

Then  Mr.  Morton,  who  had  walked  hastily  to  the 
window,  and  was  doing  something  with  his  handker- 
chief, beckoned  to  his  wife.  "  Isabel,"  he  said,  in  a 
low  tone,  "  I  will  not  be  a  party  to  this.  It's  an  atro- 
cious and  vindictive  outrage.  I  —  1  —  you  are  not 
the  woman  I  took  you  for,  if  you  say  another  word 
to  that  old  angel.  Let  him  have  the  child,  and  send 
him  one  or  two  of  your  own  into  the  bar — "  but 
Isabel  Morton,  laughing  through  her  tears,  laid  her 
hand  over  her  husoand's  lips  for  a  moment.  Then 
going  to  the  old  man's  chair,  she  knelt  down  by  it, 
and  took  his  two  hands  in  hers. 

"  Captain  January  !  "  she  said.,  tenderly.  "  Dear, 
dear  Captain  January  !  the  lie  is  forgiven :  I  am  very, 
very  sure  it  is  forgiven  in  heaven,  as  it  will  be  for- 
given in  the  child's  loving  heart  And  may  God 
never  pardon  me,  if  ever  word  or  look  of  mine  come 
again  between  you  and  the  child  whom  God  gave 
you!" 

The  gray  evening  was  closing  in  around  the  light- 
house tower.  The  guests  were  gone,  and  Captain 
January  sat  alone  beside  the  fire  in  his  old  armchair. 
The  window  was  still  open,  for  the  air  was  soft  and 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAB  67 

mild.  The  old  man's  hands  were  clasped  upon  his 
knee ;  his  heart  was  lifted  as  high  as  heaven,  in  silent 
prayer  and  praise. 

Suddenly,  at  the  window,  there  was  a  gleam  of 
yellow,  a  flitting  shape,  a  look,  a  pause ;  then  a  great 
glad  cry,  and  Star  flitted  like  a  ray  of  moonlight 
through  the  window,  and  fell  on  Captain  January's 
breast. 

"  Daddy,"  she  said,  breaking  the  long,  happy  silence, 
"  dear  Daddy,  I  am  sorry  I  burned  your  horrid  old 
cap!" 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   SIGNAL 

QUIETLY  passed  the  days,  the  weeks,  the  months, 
in  the  lonely  tower  on  the  rock  fronting  the 
Atlantic  surge.  Winter  came,  and  folded  it  in  a  white 
mantle,  and  decked  it  with  frost-jewels.  Like  a  pillar 
of  ice,  the  tower  shone  in  the  keen  brilliance  of  the 
northern  sun ;  but  within  was  always  summer,  the 
summer  of  perfect  peace  and  contentment.  To 
the  child  Star,  winter  was  always  a  season  of  great 
delight;  for  Captain  January  had  little  to  occupy 
him  out-of-doors,  and  could  devote  much  of  his  time 
to  her.  So  there  were  long,  delightful  "jack-knife 
times,"  as  Star  called  them,  when  the  Captain  sat 
fashioning  all  sorts  of  wonderful  trifles  with  his 
magic  knife,  the  child  sitting  at  his  elbow  and 
watching  him  with  happy  eyes.  There  were  "  story 
times,"  instituted  years  before,  as  soon  as  Star  had 
learned  to  sew  on  patchwork ;  for  as  for  sewing 
without  a  story  to  listen  to,  "  that"  said  Star,  "  is 
against  my  nature,  Daddy.  And  you  don't  want  me 
to  do  things  that  are  against  my  nature,  do  you?" 


THE  SIGNAL  69 

So  whenever  the  squares  of  gay  calico  came  out,  and  the 
golden  head  bent  to  and  fro  over  them,  like  a  paradise 
bird  hovering  over  a  bed  of  gaudy  flowers,  the  story 
came  out,  too,  between  puffs  of  the  pipe,  while  the 
fire  crackled  a  cheery  accompaniment,  sputtering  defi- 
ance to  the  wind  that  whistled  ouside.  Some  tale  of 
the  southern  seas,  and  the  wild  tropic  islands,  of  coral 
reefs  and  pearl-fisheries,  sharks  and  devil-fish  ;  or  else 
a  whaling  story,  fresh  and  breezy  as  the  north,  full  of 
icebergs,  and  seal-hunts  over  the  cracking  floes,  polar 
bears,  and  all  the  wild  delights  of  whale-fishing. 

Then,  on  fine  days  (and  oh,  but  the  days  are  fine, 
in  these  glorious  northern  winters ! )  there  was  much 
joy  to  be  had  out-of-doors.  For  there  was  a  spot  in 
the  little  meadow,  —  once  of  gold-flecked  emerald, 
now  of  spotless  pearl,  —  a  spot  where  the  ground 
"  tilted,"  to  use  Star's  expression,  suddenly  down 
to  a  tiny  hollow,  where  a  fairy  spring  bubbled  out  of 
the  rock  into  a  fairy  lake.  In  summer,  Star  rather 
despised  this  lake,  which  was,  truth  to  tell,  only 
twenty  feet  long  and  ten  feet  wide.  It  was  very  nice 
for  Imogen  to  drink  from  and  to  stand  in  on  hot 
days,  and  it  did  many  lovely  things  in  the  way  of 
reflecting  blue  skies  and  fleecy  clouds  and  delicate 
traceries  of  leaf  and  bough ;  but  as  water,  it  seemed 
a  very  trifling  thing  to  a  child  who  had  the  whole 
sweep  of  the  Atlantic  to  fill  her  eyes,  and  who  had 
the  breakers  for  her  playfellows  and  gossips. 

But  in  winter,  matters    were   different.     All  the 


70  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

laughing  lips  of  ripples,  all  the  white  tossing  crests 
of  waves,  must  content  themselves  with  the  ice-bound 
rocks,  till  sprir.g  should  bring  them  their  child-com- 
rade again  ;  aad  the  little  sheet  of  dark  crystal  in  the 
hollow  of  the  meadow  had  things  all  its  own  way, 
and  mirrored  back  her  bright  face  every  day.  The 
little  red  sled,  launched  at  the  top  of  the  "tilt," 
came  skimming  down  the  slope,  and  shot  like  an 
arrow  over  the  smooth  ice,  kept  always  clear  of  snow 
by  the  Captain's  ever-busy  hands ;  or  else,  when  tired 
of  coasting,  the  child  would  plant  her  small  feet 
wide  apart,  and  slide,  and  run,  and  slide  again,  till 
the  pond  could  have  cracked  with  pleasure,  if  such  a 
thing  had  been  in  accordance  with  its  principles. 

But  of  all  the  joyous  hours,  none  was  more  wel- 
come to  the  child  than  that  after  the  simple  supper 
was  cleared  away  and  the  room  "  redded  up.3'  Then, 
while  fire  and  lamplight  made  their  merriest  cheer, 
the  table  was  drawn  up  to  the  warmest  spot:  Star 
took  her  place  upon  Captain  January's  knee,  and  the 
two  heads,  the  silver  one  and  the  golden,  bent  in 
absorbed  interest  over  "  Willum  Shakespeare  "  or  the 
Good  Book. 

Generally  the  Captain  read  aloud,  but  sometimes 
they  read  the  parts  in  turn  ;  and  again,  sometimes  the 
child  would  break  offs  and  recite  whole  passages 
alone,  with  a  fire  and  pathos  which  might  have  been 
that  of  Maid  Marjorie,  swaying  at  her  childish  will 
the  heart  of  Sir  Walter  and  his  friends. 


THE  SIGNAL  71 

So  quietly,  in  the  unbroken  peace  which  love  bright- 
ened into  joy,  the  winter  passed. 

At  Christmas,  they  had,  as  usual,  a  visit  from  the 
faithful  Bob,  who  brought  all  his  many  pockets  full  of 
candy  and  oranges  and  all  manner  of  "  truck,"  as  he 
called  it,  for  Missy  Star.  Also  he  brought  a  letter 
and  a  box  directed  only  to  "  Captain  January's  Star." 
The  letter,  which  the  child  opened  with  wondering 
eagerness,  being  the  first  she  had  ever  received,  was 
from  Mrs.  Morton.  It  was  full  of  tender  and  loving 
words,  wishes  for  Christmas  cheer  and  New  Year 
blessing,  and  with  it  was  a  photograph  of  the  beau- 
tiful face,  with  its  soft  and  tender  eyes,  which  Star 
remembered  so  well.  On  the  back  was  written,  "  For 
Little  Star,  from  Aunt  Isabel."  And  the  box  ?  Why, 
that  was  quite  as  wonderful  in  its  way.  For  it  con- 
tained a  most  beautiful  pipe  for  the  Captain,  of  sweet 
brier-wood,  mounted  in  silver ;  and  oh !  oh !  such  a 
doll !  Other  children  have  seen  such  dolls,  but  Star 
never  had ;  a  blue-eyed  waxen  beauty,  with  fringed 
lashes  that  opened  and  shut,  rose-leaf  cheeks,  and 
fabulous  wealth  of  silky  flaxen  curls.  Also  it  had  a 
blue  velvet-frock,  and  its  underclothing  was  a  wonder 
to  behold ;  and  the  box  was  full  of  other  frocks  and 
garments. 

Star  took  the  doll  in  her  arms  with  delighted  awe, 
and  seemed  for  a  few  moments  absorbed  in  her  new 
treasure.  Presently,  however,  a  shadow  crossed  her 
bright  face.  She  glanced  at  Bob  and  the  Captain, 


72  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

and  seeing  that  they  were  both  engaged  in  busy  talk, 
she  quietly  went  up  to  her  own  room,  carrying  the 
doll  with  her.  Here  she  did  a  strange  thing.  She 
crossed  the  room  to  the  corner  where  Mrs.  Neptune 
sat,  with  her  back  rigid,  protesting  against  circum- 
stances, and  set  the  radiant  stranger  down  beside  her ; 
then,  with  her  hands  clasped  behind  her,  and  brows 
bent,  she  considered  the  pair  long  and  attentively. 
Truly  they  were  a  strange  contrast:  the  delicate, 
glowing,  velvet-clad  doll,  and  the  battered  old  wooden 
image,  with  eyes  of  snail-shells  and  hair  of  brown 
sea-moss.  But  when  Star  had  finished  her  scrutiny, 
she  took  the  beautiful  doll,  and  buried  it  deep  under 
velvets  and  satins  at  the  very  bottom  of  the  great 
chest.  This  done,  she  kissed  Mrs.  Neptune  solemnly, 
and  proceeded  to  adorn  her  with  a  gorgeous  Eastern 
scarf,  the  very  gayest  her  treasure-house  could  afford. 

Meanwhile,  in  the  room  below,  the  talk  went  on, 
grave  and  earnest.  Troubled  it  was,  too,  on  one  side  ; 
for  though  the  Captain  sat  quietly  in  his  chair,  and 
spoke  in  his  usual  cheerful  voice,  Bob  Feet's  rough 
tones  were  harsh  and  broken,  and  he  rose  from  his 
place  once  or  twice  and  moved  uneasily  about  the 
room. 

'"Cap'n,"  he  said,  " 'tain't  so.  Don't  tell  me! 
Strong  man  —  hearty  —  live  twenty  years  yet  — 
like's  not  thirty  !  Uncle  o'  mine  —  Punksquid  — 
hundred  and  three  —  peart's  chicken." 

Captain  January  puffed  at  his  pipe  in  silence  for 


THE  SIGNAL  73 

some  minutes.  "  Bob,"  he  said,  presently,  "  it  ain't 
always  as  it's  given  to  a  man  to  know  his  time.  I've 
allers  thought  I  should  take  it  particular  kind  if  it 
'corded  with  the  Lord's  views  to  let  me  know  when 
He  was  ready  for  me.  And  now  that  He  has  let  me 
know,  and  moreover  has  set  my  mind  that  easy  about 
the  child  that  it's  a  pleasure  to  think  of,  why,  it  ain't 
likely  I  shall  take  it  anyway  but  kind.  Thankin'  you 
all  the  same,  Bob,  as  have  been  a  good  mate  to  me, 
and  as  I  sha'n't  forget  wherever  I  am.  But  see 
now ! "  he  added,  hastily,  hearing  a  sound  in  the 
room  above.  "  You  understand,  Bob ;  I  h'ist  that 
signal,  as  it  might  be  to-morrow,  and  I  keep  her  flyin' 
night  and  day.  And  so  long  as  you  see  her  flyin',  you 
says,  <  Cap'n's  all  right  so  far ! '  you  says.  But  you 
keep  a  sharp  lookout ;  and  if  some  mornin'  you  don't 
see  her,  you  says, '  Sailin'  orders ! '  you  says,  and  then 
you  calls  Cap'n  Nazro,  as  never  failed  in  a  kind- 
ness yet,  nor  ain't  likely  to,  to  take  the  wheel,  and 
you  put  for  this  island.  And  Cap'n  Nazro  he  takes 
the  Huntress  in,  and  then  goes  straightway  and  sends 
a  telegraft  to  the  lady  and  gentleman,  sayin'  as  Cap'n 
January  has  sailin'  orders,  and  they  please  to  come 
and  take  the  child,  as  lawfully  to  them  belongs.  And 
you,  Bob,  — "  the  old  man's  steady  voice  faltered  a 
little,  as  he  laid  his  hand  on  the  other's  arm, — 
"  you'll  do  all  you  can,  well  I  know.  For  she'll  take 
it  hard,  ye  see.  She  has  that  depth  o'  love  in  her 
little  heart,  and  never  nobody  to  love  'cept  me  since 


74  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

she  were  a  baby,  that  she'll  take  it  cruel  hard.  But 
the  Lord'll  have  her  in  inind !  He'll  have  her  in 
mind !  and  you'll  stand  by,  Bob,  and  bear  a  hand  till 
the  lady  and  gentleman  come." 

Bob  Peet  held  out  his  honest  brown  hand,  and  the 
two  men  shook  hands  with  a  certain  solemnity ;  but 
before  either  of  them  could  speak  again,  Star  came 
singing  down  the  stairs,  and  summoned  them  both  to 
play  at  ball  with  oranges. 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  a  little  blue  signal  was 
hoisted  at  the  top  of  the  white  tower,  and  fluttered 
there  bravely  in  sun  and  wind.  And  every  time  the 
Huntress  went  thundering  by  (which  was  twice  a 
week  at  this  season  instead  of  every  day),  Bob  Peet 
looked  out  anxiously  from  the  wheel-house  window, 
and  seeing  the  little  banner,  took  cheer,  and  rubbed 
his  hands  and  said,  "  Cap'n's  all  right  so  far ! " 

And  Captain  January,  whenever  there  came  the 
clutch  and  stab  at  his  heart,  and  the  struggle  for 
breath,  which  he  had  felt  for  the  first  time  that  Sep- 
tember day  (but  ah  !  how  many  times  since,  and  with 
what  increasing  persistence !)  would  creep  to  the 
stairway  beside  which  hung  the  signal  lines,  and  lay 
his  hand  on  them,  and  wait:  then,  when  the  spasm 
passed,  would  pass  his  hand  across  his  face  and 
humbly  say,  "  Whenever  it  seems  right,  Lord !  A 
step  nearer !  and  Thou  havin'  the  child  in  mind," 
and  so  go  cheerfully  about  his  work  again. 

There  were  not  many  more  steps  to  take.     Spring 


THE  SIGNAL  75 

came,  and  the  little  meadow  was  green  again.  Robins 
and  bluebirds  fluttered  above  the  great  pine-tree,  and 
swallows  built  their  nests  under  the  eaves  of  the 
tower  itself.  The  child  Star  sang  with  the  birds,  and 
danced  with  the  dancing  leaves,  all  unconscious  of 
what  was  coming ;  but  the  old  Captain's  steps  grew 
slower  and  heavier,  day  by  day,  and  the  cheery  voice 
grew  feeble,  and  lost  its  hearty  ring,  though  never 
its  cheeriness.  "  I'll  set  here  in  the  porch,  Jewel 
Bright,"  he  would  say,  when  the  child  begged  him 
to  come  for  a  scramble  on  the  rocks.  "  I  think  I'll 
jest  set  here,  where  I  can  see  ye  an'  hear  to  ye.  I'm 
gittin'  lazy,  Star  Light;  that's  the  truth.  Yer  old 
Daddy's  gittin'  lazy,  and  it's  comftabler  settin'  here 
in  the  sun,  than  scramblin'  round  the  rocks." 

And  Star  would  fling  herself  on  his  neck,  and  scold 
and  caress  him,  and  then  go  off  with  a  half -sense  of 
disappointment  to  her  play.  Very,  very  careful  Cap- 
tain January  had  to  be,  lest  the  child  should  suspect 
that  which  he  was  determined  to  keep  from  her  to 
the  last.  Sometimes  he  half  thought  she  must  sus- 
pect, so  tender  was  she  in  these  days ;  so  thoughtful, 
so  mindful  of  his  lightest  wish.  But  "  'tis  only  the 
woman  growin'  up  in  her,"  he  decided ;  and  looking 
back,  he  remembered  that  she  had  not  once  broken 
his  pipe  (as  she  had  been  used  to  do  every  three  or 
four  weeks,  in  her  sudden  rages)  since  last  September. 

At  last  there  came  a  day  when  the  Captain  did  not 
even  go  out  to  the  porch.  It  was  a  lovely  May 


76  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

morning,  bright  and  soft,  with  wreaths  of  silvery  fog 
floating  up  from  the  blue  water,  and  much  sweet 
sound  of  singing  birds  and  lapping  waves  in  the  air. 
Making  some  pretence  of  work  at  his  carpenter's 
bench,  the  old  man  sent  Star  out  to  loose  the  cow 
and  lead  her  to  the  water ;  and  when  she  was  gone, 
he  tottered  to  his  old  chair  and  sat  down  heavily. 
There  was  no  pain  now,  only  a  strange  numbness,  a 
creeping  coldness,  a  ringing  in  the  ears.  If  it  might 
"  seem  right "  to  let  him  wait  till  the  Huntress  came 
by  !  "  It's  nearly  time,"  he  said,  half  aloud.  "  Nearly 
time,  and  'twould  be  easier  for  the  child." 

At  this  moment,  through  the  open  doorway,  came 
the  silver  sound  of  Star's  voice.  "  But  I  don't  think 
there  can  be  any  harm  in  my  just  telling  you  a  little 
about  it,  Imogen.  And  the  floor  is  the  paved  work 
of  a  sapphire :  sapphire  is  a  stone,  just  like  the  water 
over  there,  in  the  bluest  place,  and  oh !  so  clear  and 
bright,  Daddy  says.  He  saw  one  once.  And  there 
will  be  most  beautiful  music,  Imogen.  Oh  !  you  can't 
think  what  lovely  music  Daddy  Captain  will  play  on 
a  harp.  I  know  he  will,  'cause  he  will  be  a  spirit  of 
just  men  made  perfect :  and  that  will  be  a  great  thing, 
Imogen ;  for  he  has  never  known  how  to  play  on 
anything  before :  and  — "  Ah !  the  sweet,  childish 
prattle !  but  already  it  was  growing  faint  upon  the 
old  man's  ears. 

"  Star  Bright !  "  he  called  ;  and  the  dancing  shape 
came  flying,  and  stood  on  tiptoe  in  the  doorway. 


THE  SIGNAL  77 

Steady,  now,  January !  keep  your  voice  steady,  if 
there  is  any  will  left  in  you.  Keep  your  head  turned 
a  little  away,  lest  there  be  any  change  in  your  face, 
yet  not  turned  enough  to  make  her  wonder.  "  Star 
Bright,"  said  Captain  January,  "it's  about  —  time  — 
for  the  Huntress  —  to  be  along,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Daddy,"  said  the  child ;  "  she's  just  in  sight 
now.  Shall  I  go  down  and  wave  to  Bob  as  he  goes 
by?" 

"  Yes,  Honeysuckle,"  said  the  old  man.  "  And  — 
and  wait  to  see  if  he  comes  ashore.  I  think  —  likely 

—  Bob'll  come  ashore  to-day.     He  was  goin'  to  bring 

—  somethin'  —  for  me.     Is  there  a  squall  comin'  up, 
Jewel  Bright?" 

"  A  squall,  Daddy  ? "  said  the  child,  wondering. 
"  Why,  there  isn't  a  cloud  in  the  sky." 

"  Jes'  so  !  "  said  Captain  January.  "I  —  only  jist 
asked.  Good-bye,  Star  Bright." 

"  Dear  Daddy  !  Good-bye  !  "  cried  the  child,  and 
she  sped  away  over  the  rocks. 

So  dark  !  and  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky.  If  he  might 
have  looked  once  more,  with  those  fast-darkening 
eyes,  at  the  little  blessed  face  which  held  all  the 
world  in  it !  if  he  could  call  her  back  now,  and  kiss 
her  once  more,  and  hold  her  little  hand  —  No !  no ! 
steady,  January  !  steady  now,  and  stand  by  ! 

Quite  dark  now.  But  that  does  not  matter.  No 
need  of  light  for  what  is  now  to  be  done.  Slowly  the 
old  man  raises  himself;  feels  for  the  wall,  creeps 


78  CAPTAIN  JANUARY 

along  beside  it.  Here  is  the  line.  Is  there  any 
strength  left  in  that  benumbed  arm  ?  Yes  !  "  For 
the  child,  dear  Lord,  and  Thou  helpin'  me,  as  ever 
has  been!" 

Down  comes  the  signal,  and  the  old  man  creeps 
back  to  his  chair  again,  and  composes  himself  de- 
cently, with  reverent,  folded  hands,  and  head  bowed 
in  waiting.  "  <  He  holdeth  the  waters  in  the  hollow 
of  His  hand.  Behold,  He  taketh  up  the  isles  as  a 
very  little  thing.'  Amen !  so  be  it!  " 

Wave,  little  Star !  wave  your  little  blue  apron  from 
the  rocks,  and  laugh  and  clap  your  hands  for  pleas- 
ure, as  the  ripples  from  the  steamer's  bow  break  in 
snowy  foam  at  your  feet.  Bend  to  your  oar,  Bob 
Peet,  and  send  your  little  black  boat  flying  over  the 
water  as  she  never  flew  before  !  and  press  on,  friendly 
Huntress,  to  your  port,  whence  the  winged  message 
may  speed  on  its  way  to  the  stately  lady  with  the 
tender  eyes>  who  waits  for  tidings  in  her  distant  home. 

For  Captain  January's  last  voyage  is  over,  and  he 
is  already  in  the  haven  where  he  would  be. 


THE  END. 


